Deck 6: Work-Related Attitudes: Prejudice, Job Satisfaction and Organizational Commitment

Question 1

A prejudicial attitude is made up of several elements, including:

A) a negative stereotype.
B) an evaluative judgment.
C) a behavioral predisposition.
D) All of these.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

The law enacted to safeguard the rights of people with physical and mental disabilities was the:

A) Civil Rights Act of 1991.
B) Equal Employment Opportunities Act.
C) Labor Relations Act of 1978.
D) Americans with Disabilities Act.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Attitudes are made up of three basic components including:

A) a behavioral component.
B) a self-efficacy component.
C) an affective component.
D) an organizational commitment component.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

A recent study on diversity found that of the companies surveyed:

A) about 75 % had diversity management policies in place.
B) nearly 1/2 of all companies were doing nothing at all.
C) about 1/3 of all companies thought diversity management was a top priority.
D) 83% reported it was a fad, and they were doing nothing in that area.

Question 5

Attitudes are:

A) temporary feelings about something.
B) a combination of positive and/or negative feelings about one's job.
C) relatively stable clusters of feelings, beliefs, and behavior tendencies.
D) negative views of others based on the group one believes they belong to.

Question 6

When we speak of liking or disliking someone or something, we are talking about the ________ component of our attitude toward that person or object.

A) behavioral
B) cognitive
C) affective
D) evaluative

Question 7

Which of the following groups is most likely to report dissatisfaction with their jobs?

A) Hand packers.
B) Members of the clergy.
C) Education administrators.
D) Sculptors.

Question 8

A negative attitude we hold toward another, based on his/her membership in a particular group, is called:

A) a stereotype.
B) discrimination.
C) groupism.
D) a prejudice.

Question 9

Which of the following types of discrimination is not currently prohibited by federal law?

A) Discrimination based on age
B) Discrimination based on sexual orientation
C) Discrimination based on physical condition
D) Discrimination based on gender

Question 10

The results of 30 years of affirmative action programs are:

A) not clear.
B) women and minorities are in a worse position than they were.
C) minorities have advanced but women have not.
D) they have been effective in bringing women and minorities into the workforce.

Question 11

The objective behind a diversity management program in business is to ________.

A) adhere to legal regulations and bureaucratic procedures
B) avoid penalties associated with discrimination
C) systematically transform an organization's culture
D) None of the above

Question 12

A survey of American workers has shown that religious bias:

A) negatively impacts performance in almost half the people who reported it.
B) negatively impacts performance in almost a fourth of the people who reported it.
C) negatively impacts performance in almost three-quarters of people who reported it.
D) does not negatively impact performance.

Question 13

The nature of the workforce composition, in terms of age, gender and ethnic makeup, is known as:

A) organizational logistics.
B) organizational demography.
C) discriminatory analysis.
D) stereotype recognition.

Question 14

Dirk tends to put as little effort into his job as possible because he believes what he does at work has little impact on how he is viewed, compensated, or promoted. Dirk's actions represent the ________ component of his attitude about work.

A) evaluative
B) cognitive
C) affective
D) behavioral

Question 15

Which of the following is true about companies' experience with older workers?

A) They tend to be out sick more often.
B) Most companies have found older workers difficult to train and slow to learn.
C) They have good skills, high commitment, and strong safety records.
D) Younger workers tend to displace them.

Question 16

In 1987, about ________ percent of Americans reported feeling satisfied with their jobs, while in 2009, about ________ percent reported being satisfied

A) 45, 60
B) 60, 45
C) 50, 30
D) 30, 50

Question 17

Kim knows that all women bosses are difficult to work with, so she's not looking forward to meeting her boss. Turns out her boss is both competent and pleasant. Kim's "knowledge" of her boss is an example of which component of an attitude?

A) Behavioral
B) Cognitive
C) Affective
D) Evaluative

Question 18

Complaints of prejudice and discrimination are filed at the:

A) Congressional Office.
B) Center for Discrimination Studies.
C) Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
D) Equal Opportunity Administration.

Question 19

White men now represent less than ________ percent of the American workforce.

A) 50
B) 40
C) 30
D) 20

Question 20

Job satisfaction levels tend to be:

A) higher for jobs that are more creatively fulfilling.
B) higher for jobs that allow workers to have a sense of accomplishment.
C) lower for jobs that involve rudimentary skills.
D) All of the above.

Question 21

Organizations that offer employees opportunities to participate in decision-making, provide incentives for them to do so, and emphasize opportunities to develop skills have:

A) incentive-based organizational plans.
B) participative workplace designs.
C) workforce flex-systems.
D) high-performance work systems.

Question 22

According to research, which of the following report the highest levels of job satisfaction?

A) Firefighters.
B) Bartenders.
C) Roofers.
D) Waiters.

Question 23

The practice of staying away from the job when scheduled to work is referred to as:

A) employee withdrawal.
B) absenteeism.
C) voluntary turnover.
D) involuntary malingering.

Question 24

In an organization with a high-performance system:

A) employees are less likely to be satisfied with their jobs.
B) the incidence of work-related accidents is likely to be high.
C) opportunities for low-level employees are likely to be limited.
D) employees are more likely to be satisfied.

Question 25

For diversity management to work, companies need:

A) to focus on the average differences among people.
B) top management support pressuring lower management to comply.
C) total managerial support.
D) an affirmative action plan.

Question 26

Research shows:

A) that job satisfaction and the financial performance of an organization are unrelated.
B) good financial performance in an organization promotes high levels of job satisfaction.
C) employee job satisfaction has no effect on financial performance.
D) absenteeism is higher than average in companies with good financial performance.

Question 27

According to "value theory," people are dissatisfied with their jobs when:

A) they don't have enough responsibility for the work they do.
B) the outcomes they receive do not match the outcomes they desire.
C) they are dissatisfied with their supervisors.
D) their inputs exceed what they expected in outcomes.

Question 28

Values theory suggests that:

A) the values of the supervisor impact worker motivation.
B) what needs to be changed to improve job satisfaction is not the same for all people.
C) coworker values will enhance employee motivation.
D) employees will withdraw from their jobs only at a certain threshold of dissatisfaction.

Question 29

Joe believes that most of his company's employees are fairly aware of cultural differences among the diverse workforce. But he feels they need some help in alleviating misunderstandings that may come from those differences. To help this problem he should implement what type of training?

A) Cross-cultural understanding
B) Intercultural communication
C) Facilitation skills
D) Flexibility and adaptability

Question 30

A primary reason for absenteeism is:

A) dislike for a superior.
B) poor performance.
C) a lack of motivation.
D) dissatisfaction with the job.

Question 31

Research shows that the ________ organizations could be classified as high-performance organizations, the ________employees reported being satisfied with their jobs, and the ________ were the incidents of work-related accidents.

A) more, less, lower
B) less, more, higher
C) more, more, lower
D) less, less, higher

Question 32

Unscheduled absences have been estimated to account for approximately ________ percent of payroll expenses.

A) 15
B) 33
C) 49
D) 60

Question 33

When compared to turnover, absenteeism:

A) is temporary.
B) is a more expensive form of withdrawal.
C) involves only a trivial cost.
D) None of the above.

Question 34

Cultivating the patience to take new and different approaches when dealing with others who are different would require ________.

A) cognitive evaluation
B) established accountability
C) flexibility and adaptability
D) facilitation skills

Question 35

Understanding why Italians and Norwegians behave differently on the job would involve which of the following tools of skills-based training?

A) Cross-cultural understanding
B) Skill-based diversity training
C) Flexibility and adaptability
D) Intercultural communication

Question 36

All of the following statements about affirmative action are true except:

A) affirmative action has led to increased representation of women in the workplace.
B) affirmative action has increased the self-esteem of racial minorities.
C) affirmative action programs are largely unsupported by the public.
D) affirmative action programs specify that only qualified minorities be hired.

Question 37

Organizations with high-performance work systems demonstrate all of the following except:

A) opportunities for employees to participate in decision-making.
B) unsafe work environments.
C) incentives created to encourage employees to participate in decision-making.
D) opportunities to develop skills.

Question 38

For every dollar earned by men, women earn:

A) 53.5 cents.
B) 63 cents.
C) 77 .5 cents.
D) 92 cents.

Question 39

Over the last two decades, the number of workers reporting being satisfied with their jobs:

A) has been declining.
B) has been increasing rapidly.
C) initially increased, but then began to drop significantly.
D) decreased sharply, but then leveled off.

Question 40

Training on how to help others alleviate misunderstanding that may result from cultural differences would involve which of the following tools of skills-based training?

A) Cross-cultural understanding
B) Facilitation skills
C) Flexibility and adaptability
D) Intercultural communication

Question 41

The extent to which people identify with, and are involved in, their organizations is known as:

A) job satisfaction.
B) organizational commitment.
C) organizational citizenship.
D) motivation.

Question 42

The "shock to the system" helps to explain:

A) hangover effect.
B) decision frames.
C) honeymoon effect.
D) voluntary turnover.

Question 43

Organizational commitment:

A) is unrelated to job satisfaction.
B) has a much stronger relationship to job satisfaction than job performance does.
C) is a function of employee attitude based on the management style of their managers.
D) is synonymous with job satisfaction.

Question 44

Which of the following are ways to promote job satisfaction?

A) Improve the quality of supervision
B) Make fun jobs more difficult
C) Create pay systems based on seniority
D) Match people to jobs that differ from their interests

Question 45

A two-year study that traced the levels of job satisfaction and absenteeism of health-care workers revealed that ________.

A) absenteeism declined when satisfaction rose, and absenteeism rose when satisfaction declined
B) absenteeism rose when satisfaction rose, and absenteeism declined when satisfaction declined
C) the relationship between levels of job satisfaction and absenteeism could not be measured
D) changes in the levels of satisfaction had no appreciable effect on rates of absenteeism

Question 46

People are likely to enjoy high levels of satisfaction on new jobs that they have taken in response to dissatisfaction in their old job. This is known as:

A) hangover effect.
B) social information processing.
C) honeymoon effect.
D) unfolding model of turnover.

Question 47

Research shows that the relationship between job satisfaction and job performance is:

A) very strong, the higher the satisfaction the better the performance.
B) nonexistent, satisfaction has no relationship to organizational productivity.
C) positive but not strong, satisfaction does somewhat impact performance.
D) one that depends on the time of supervision and the level of control the employee has.

Question 48

People who are able to select their benefits tend to feel ________ with their jobs.

A) more satisfied
B) less satisfied
C) less control
D) None of the above.

Question 49

Max stays with XYZ company because he fears he cannot get another job. This is an example of:

A) a cognitive commitment.
B) affective commitment.
C) normative commitment.
D) continuance commitment.

Question 50

When a prospective employee has many job options available, which type of commitment is affected?

A) Continuance commitment
B) Affective commitment
C) Normative commitment
D) Associative commitment

Question 51

Job dissatisfaction may influence which of the following variables?

A) Unemployment, unionization, and organizational commitment
B) Absenteeism, voluntary turnover, and job performance
C) Work-related attitudes, prejudice, and unemployment
D) Organizational commitment, organizational citizenship, and involuntary turnover

Question 52

Studies have shown that job dissatisfaction tends to be associated with:

A) high rates of absenteeism.
B) low rates of voluntary turnover.
C) moderate job performance.
D) high unemployment rates.

Question 53

Instituting cafeteria style benefit plans will help to promote:

A) organizational citizenship behaviors.
B) quality of supervision.
C) decentralization.
D) job satisfaction.

Question 54

Incentive plans in which employees receive bonuses in proportion to the company's profitability are called:

A) profit-sharing plans.
B) gain-sharing plans.
C) bonus plans.
D) optimization plans.

Question 55

People's satisfaction with their job is inclined to drop over time, from when they first start in the position to later when they have experience in the position. This is known as:

A) hangover effect.
B) social information processing.
C) honeymoon effect.
D) unfolding model of turnover.

Question 56

The relationship between job satisfaction and mood shows that they:

A) closely linked at work.
B) impact each other.
C) impact work moods.
D) All of the above.

Question 57

Companies that are ________ oriented with managers who have high ________ commitment tend to have ________ financial performance.

A) performance, affective, improved
B) maintenance, affective, improved
C) performance, continuance, unchanged
D) maintenance, continuance, improved

Question 58

Job satisfaction is important because ________.

A) satisfied employees are less likely to quit their jobs
B) satisfied employees are less likely to experience serious accidents
C) satisfied employees are more productive that dissatisfied employees
D) All of the above

Question 59

The internalized set of rules and images regarding how to interpret something that has occurred is known as:

A) decision frames.
B) honeymoon effect.
C) social information processing.
D) turnover.

Question 60

Job satisfaction is not a good predictor of:

A) work performance.
B) absenteeism.
C) voluntary turnover.
D) All of the above.

Question 61

A prejudice represents negative attitudes toward the members of specific groups based solely on the fact that they are members of those groups.

Question 62

Suppose Larry has been looking for another job, but his boss and co-workers pressure him to stay. If Larry stays, it is an example of:

A) affective commitment.
B) normative commitment.
C) hygiene commitment.
D) continuance commitment.

Question 63

The use of gain-sharing plans and other such long-term compensation techniques is one way to:

A) manage the hygiene factors that improve organizational commitment.
B) use recruitment to select new people whose values match the company's values.
C) align the interests of the employees with those of the company.
D) enrich jobs and make employees feel more responsible.

Question 64

When people are willing to stay in an organization because they share its goals, they have:

A) a normative commitment.
B) an affective commitment.
C) a cognitive commitment.
D) a continuance commitment.

Question 65

Table 6.1
Three middle managers are discussing their attitudes about work over lunch. Lee is expressing how much he likes working for his boss, but he dislikes his current work assignment, and he says it's too tedious. He's looking forward to its completion so he can move on to more exciting work. Tim tells his luncheon partners that he's convinced he got his current position because his previous boss wanted to help him along in his career. (Tim doesn't know his previous boss couldn't stand him and wanted to move him out of his area.) Tim is very happy because he believes he has the right skill mix to be successful in his new position. Andrea tells everyone that she is looking for another job. She has been for several months, but "the right thing hasn't come along yet." She has advanced her career by changing jobs every 12-18 months. Their fourth luncheon partner, Leslie, is also unhappy on the job and looking for another position. She believes that her current boss is threatened by her competence and is holding her back from greater opportunities. Leslie wants to stay with the company but wants to work for someone else.
Refer to Table 6.1. In terms of the components of an attitude, Lee's comments reveal the ________ component more than any other component of his attitudes toward work.

A) behavioral
B) cognitive
C) affective
D) evaluative

Question 66

Table 6.1
Three middle managers are discussing their attitudes about work over lunch. Lee is expressing how much he likes working for his boss, but he dislikes his current work assignment, and he says it's too tedious. He's looking forward to its completion so he can move on to more exciting work. Tim tells his luncheon partners that he's convinced he got his current position because his previous boss wanted to help him along in his career. (Tim doesn't know his previous boss couldn't stand him and wanted to move him out of his area.) Tim is very happy because he believes he has the right skill mix to be successful in his new position. Andrea tells everyone that she is looking for another job. She has been for several months, but "the right thing hasn't come along yet." She has advanced her career by changing jobs every 12-18 months. Their fourth luncheon partner, Leslie, is also unhappy on the job and looking for another position. She believes that her current boss is threatened by her competence and is holding her back from greater opportunities. Leslie wants to stay with the company but wants to work for someone else.
Refer to Table 6.1. Andrea's comments focus on the ________ component of her attitudes toward her job.

A) behavioral
B) cognitive
C) affective
D) evaluative

Question 67

The behavioral component of an attitude is our predisposition to act in a certain way.

Question 68

The primary motive behind companies engaging in diversity management is to improve business.

Question 69

Generally speaking, companies are doing more, not less, to encourage diversity.

Question 70

Employees who have high levels of affective commitment to their organizations:

A) do not care about the goals of their organizations.
B) have little effect on the financial performance of their employers.
C) are less likely to resign or be absent from their organizations.
D) are unwilling to make sacrifices for their employers.

Question 71

Feelings of organizational commitment are enhanced by:

A) enriching individual's jobs.
B) centralizing control and responsibility.
C) the use of progressive discipline to align individual values with the organization's values.
D) improving hygiene factors at work.

Question 72

In a study conducted in the People's Republic of China, companies that used maintenance-oriented practices used to manage human resources ________.

A) increased continuance commitment, thus boosting financial performance
B) increased affective commitment, but stunted financial performance
C) increased continuance commitment, which left financial performance unchanged
D) increased normative commitment and increased financial performance

Question 73

Despite the September 11 terrorist attacks, most Muslims working in the United States have not been the target of prejudice.

Question 74

The most prominent way companies are promoting diversity is through flexible work schedules or permitting employees to take religious holidays.

Question 75

While prejudice can make the work environment unpleasant for the person it is directed towards, it seldom has any real effect on the individual's career.

Question 76

In China:

A) managers pay less attention to absenteeism than managers do in Canada.
B) employees often go home or are absent from work due to illness.
C) workers are often paid more for not working due to illness than for working.
D) workers are more likely to take time off from work for personal issues than in Canada.

Question 77

Table 6.1
Three middle managers are discussing their attitudes about work over lunch. Lee is expressing how much he likes working for his boss, but he dislikes his current work assignment, and he says it's too tedious. He's looking forward to its completion so he can move on to more exciting work. Tim tells his luncheon partners that he's convinced he got his current position because his previous boss wanted to help him along in his career. (Tim doesn't know his previous boss couldn't stand him and wanted to move him out of his area.) Tim is very happy because he believes he has the right skill mix to be successful in his new position. Andrea tells everyone that she is looking for another job. She has been for several months, but "the right thing hasn't come along yet." She has advanced her career by changing jobs every 12-18 months. Their fourth luncheon partner, Leslie, is also unhappy on the job and looking for another position. She believes that her current boss is threatened by her competence and is holding her back from greater opportunities. Leslie wants to stay with the company but wants to work for someone else.
Refer to Table 6.1. Based on research on job satisfaction and job changes, what results might you predict for Leslie or Andrea when they change jobs?

A) They both will be much more satisfied in a new job.
B) Andrea will experience greater satisfaction because of her past success, while Leslie will not because of her attitude toward her boss.
C) Their level of dissatisfaction will not change significantly.
D) None of these.

Question 78

Use of the term "glass ceiling" is reserved for describing sources of discrimination against women.

Question 79

Table 6.1
Three middle managers are discussing their attitudes about work over lunch. Lee is expressing how much he likes working for his boss, but he dislikes his current work assignment, and he says it's too tedious. He's looking forward to its completion so he can move on to more exciting work. Tim tells his luncheon partners that he's convinced he got his current position because his previous boss wanted to help him along in his career. (Tim doesn't know his previous boss couldn't stand him and wanted to move him out of his area.) Tim is very happy because he believes he has the right skill mix to be successful in his new position. Andrea tells everyone that she is looking for another job. She has been for several months, but "the right thing hasn't come along yet." She has advanced her career by changing jobs every 12-18 months. Their fourth luncheon partner, Leslie, is also unhappy on the job and looking for another position. She believes that her current boss is threatened by her competence and is holding her back from greater opportunities. Leslie wants to stay with the company but wants to work for someone else.
Refer to Table 6.1. Leslie's thoughts about her boss's role in her career display the ________ component of Leslie's attitudes about her work.

A) behavioral
B) cognitive
C) affective
D) evaluative

Question 80

Prejudice in the work place can be based on age in that younger workers can find themselves the victims of prejudice as much as older workers.