Deck 6: Motivation

Question 1

A lump-sum bonus is a bonus received by members of a unit for meeting unit goals.

Answer 1

False
Explanation: Lump-sum bonuses and gain sharing provide a forum for assigning difficult and specific goals; the former does so at the individual level and the latter at the unit level.

Question 2

Task strategy reflects how complicated the information and actions involved in a task are, as well as how much the task changes.

Answer 2

False
Explanation: Task complexity reflects how complicated the information and actions involved in a task are, as well as how much the task changes.

Question 3

Meaningfulness reflects energy rooted in the belief that work tasks contribute to some larger purpose.

Answer 3

False
Explanation: Psychological empowerment reflects energy rooted in the belief that work tasks contribute to some larger purpose. Meaningfulness addresses the value of a work goal or purpose, relative to a person's own ideals and passions.

Question 4

The belief that a person has the capabilities needed to execute the behaviors required for task success is known as self-actualization.

Question 5

When goal commitment is high, assigning specific and difficult goals will have significant benefits for task performance.

Question 6

Leticia has been assigned a task for which she knows that she does not have the necessary skills or knowledge. However, she really wants the bonus she can earn by completing the task. According to expectancy theory, Leticia will be highly motivated to complete the task.

Question 7

Hannah has been asked to give the opening speech at her global company's annual sales convention. She has successfully given speeches in the past, and her friends have all told her she would be great. These have resulted in a high sense of self-efficacy, and she accepts the assignment.

Question 8

The motivating force with the strongest performance effect is the perception of equity.

Question 9

Intrinsic motivation is controlled by some contingency that depends on task performance.

Question 10

Individuals who value money for the achievement, respect, and freedom it confers value the rational meaning of money.

Question 11

Valence can be positive, negative, or zero.

Question 12

Extrinsic theory acknowledges that motivation depends not only on a person's beliefs and circumstances, but also on what happens to other people.

Question 13

Expectancy represents the belief that low performance is the outcome of high efforts.

Question 14

A sense of self-determination is a strong driver of extrinsic motivation.

Question 15

Motivation determines the direction, intensity, and outcome of effort.

Question 16

Employees who feel a sense of equity on the job are more likely to engage in citizenship behaviors, particularly when those behaviors aid the organization.

Question 17

Merit pay represents the most common element of organizational compensation plans.

Question 18

As goals move from moderate to difficult, the intensity and persistence of the effort needed are minimized.

Question 19

Research suggests that employees underestimate how powerful a motivator pay is to them.

Question 20

Motivation is not one thing but rather a set of distinct forces.

Question 21

Employees at Carpet Lot were given a survey about the workplace. One of the questions asked them about their wages. Which of the following respondents gave a response that shows a belief in a high level of instrumentality at Carpet Lot?

A) Leah, who said most people get raises because they are related to someone
B) Irvin, who said wages are determined by employee job performance
C) LaShawn, who said that the highest wages go to dishonest people
D) Skylar, who said that most people are paid based on seniority
E) Marti, who said that wages should be the same for everyone

Question 22

________ is the set of energetic forces that originates both within and outside an employee; initiates work-related effort; and determines its direction, intensity, and persistence.

A) Organizational commitment
B) Job satisfaction
C) Job performance
D) Motivation
E) Leadership

Question 23

Flint has been assigned the task of reconfiguring all the digital projectors in his office building. He knows Ellie had to do this two years ago, and he remembers that she was crying in frustration and almost resigned because of complications and a lack of cooperation that hindered her ability to do the job properly. This is an example of Flint taking ________ into account.

A) emotional cues
B) instrumentality
C) verbal persuasion
D) vicarious experiences
E) past accomplishments

Question 24

Alvin is the leader of a team of counselors at a camp for recovering addicts. He and his team have been asked to implement a new program, which on the surface looks much more difficult than what they have been doing. Before the program begins, Alvin feels he needs to give his team a speech to help motivate them for the upcoming challenge. What is the first thing Alvin should do in his speech?

A) remind the team of how they worked hard to successfully overcome challenges in the past
B) admit that he is not completely sure the project can be done with existing staff numbers
C) tell them that he will be watching them carefully for any failure to follow procedure
D) express that he has a great deal of anxiety about taking on such a huge endeavor
E) tell the team they may get a raise if everything goes well for a few weeks

Question 25

________ is the belief that exerting a high level of effort will result in the successful performance of some task.

A) Instrumentality
B) Valence
C) Equity
D) Expectancy
E) Psychological empowerment

Question 26

The Morning Muffin is a family-run baking company. It specializes in custom-made cakes, turnovers, croissants, muffins, and pies. Younger family members have learned the value of attention to detail when creating a new recipe by observing the praise given to bakers who exhibit this level of attention. Those who now exhibit close attention to detail while creating recipes have learned through

A) past accomplishments.
B) vicarious experiences.
C) lecture sessions.
D) emotional cues.
E) instrumentality.

Question 27

Kwame designs and delivers public outreach programs for Hydro Sun Electric. He seems to never take a break, he always talks about work, and he often reaches the end of the day wishing he could do more and not realizing how late it has gotten. Kwame's behavior demonstrates the concept of

A) vicariousness.
B) engagement.
C) feedback.
D) valence.
E) equity.

Question 28

Linda has been hired by Doctor Patel to oversee a fast-paced, innovative medical office. It is a highly difficult, but well-paid job. Linda believes she has the skills and experiences to easily handle the task and improve the efficiency of the office. Linda's belief in her capabilities is known as

A) instrumentality.
B) self-efficacy.
C) complexity.
D) valence.
E) equity.

Question 29

________ is an important moderator of what individuals consider to be positively or negatively valent.

A) Culture
B) Expectancy
C) Generalizability
D) Self-efficacy
E) A S.M.A.R.T. goal

Question 30

Effective job performance is most often a function of

A) motivation and emotions.
B) emotions and ability.
C) ability and expectations.
D) motivation and ability.
E) expectations and emotions.

Question 31

Expectancy theory focuses on describing

A) How goals are the primary drivers of the intensity and persistence of effort.
B) the type of rewards people get from outside forces, such as wages and vacations.
C) a form of intrinsic motivation in which merely performing the work tasks serves as its own reward.
D) how employees create a "mental ledger" of the outcomes (or rewards) they get from their job duties.
E) the cognitive process that employees go through to make choices among different voluntary responses.

Question 32

________ theory argues that employee behavior is directed toward pleasure and away from pain or, more generally, toward certain outcomes and away from others.

A) Psychological empowerment
B) Expectancy
C) Goal setting
D) Extrinsic
E) Equity

Question 33

Evander has been asked to lead a team of educators. He is afraid his employees will not take him seriously because he is a nice guy, and he is nervous that his supervisors will see him as weak and ineffective. He is also excited by some great ideas he has for how to improve educational delivery methods that he knows will work. Evander's efficacy is moderated by his fears and anxieties, as well as his pride and enthusiasm, which are all examples of

A) emotional cues.
B) instrumentality.
C) verbal persuasion.
D) vicarious experiences.
E) past accomplishments.

Question 34

Blake is determined to finish a building project for Mr. Hicks before the deadline. Blake is certain that if he successfully performs this building project, Mr. Hicks will hire him as a permanent builder for his expanding condominium business. Blake's belief demonstrates

A) instrumentality.
B) self-efficacy.
C) complexity.
D) expectancy.
E) valence.

Question 35

Technically, instrumentality is

A) the value of a work goal or purpose, relative to a person's unique individual ideals and passions.
B) the belief that a person has the capabilities needed to execute the behaviors required for task success.
C) a set of subjective probabilities, each ranging from 0 to 1, that successful performance will bring a set of outcomes.
D) a subjective probability, ranging from 0 to 1, that a specific amount of effort will result in a specific level of performance.
E) a cognitive grouping or cluster of outcomes that are viewed as having critical psychological or physiological consequences.

Question 36

When employees consider efficacy levels for a given task, they first consider their

A) past accomplishments.
B) vicarious experiences.
C) current projects.
D) extrinsic motivators.
E) instrumentality.

Question 37

Wallace just got a new batch of articles to edit. He is enthused about starting something new. He decides to put all other distractions aside and focus on this task. He gets a great deal done, but after three hours, he is ready for something else. Deciding to quit after a few hours demonstrates the effect of Wallace's motivation on his ________ of effort.

A) sincerity
B) direction
C) intensity
D) persistence
E) expectancy

Question 38

________ is a subjective probability ranging from 0 to 1 that describes how a specific amount of effort will lead to a specific level of performance.

A) Expectancy
B) Meaning
C) Efficacy
D) Valence
E) Need

Question 39

Bobbi invests a great deal of energy in her job. She focuses closely, finds her tasks so interesting that she loses track of time, and takes a lot of initiative. Bobbi demonstrates a high level of

A) expectancy.
B) engagement.
C) instrumentality.
D) goal acceptance.
E) equity appreciation.

Question 40

Which of the following scenarios demonstrates how workers determine efficacy levels through vicarious experiences?

A) Sal looks at his diploma from a prestigious university and realizes he is very smart.
B) Reno pats Ed on the back and tells him he is making great progress on his design project.
C) Butch compares the salary he has just been offered to the salary he made at his previous job.
D) Bill, just named sales manager, asks Fred what his job was like when he was the sales manager.
E) Linda, who has a tight deadline to meet, ranks her tasks by urgency in the hopes that this will keep her on track.

Question 41

Task complexity can show

A) a way that successful performance will result in some outcome.
B) a kind of self-confidence or a task-specific version of self-esteem.
C) the degree to which a person accepts a goal and is determined to try to reach it.
D) learning plans and problem-solving approaches used to achieve successful performance.
E) how complex the information and actions involved in a task are and how much the task changes.

Question 42

Motivation that is felt when task performance serves as its own reward is ________ motivation.

A) instrumental
B) extrinsic
C) intrinsic
D) expectant
E) efficacious

Question 43

Amber is responsible for creating a master emergency preparedness plan for the chemical facility in which she works. Her supervisor, Whitney, has examined all of her materials and updated Amber on which parts of the plan are satisfactory and which parts need more work. Whitney has provided Amber with

A) feedback.
B) self-efficacy.
C) instrumentality.
D) task complexity.
E) goal commitment.

Question 44

Examples of physiological needs are

A) autonomy, control, and responsibility.
B) lasting interpersonal relationships.
C) effectiveness and respect.
D) food, safety, and shelter.
E) purpose and fulfillment.

Question 45

Goal commitment is defined as

A) a series of updates on employee progress toward goal attainment.
B) the belief that successful performance will result in some outcome.
C) the degree to which a person accepts a goal and is determined to try to reach it.
D) the belief that a person has the capabilities needed to execute the behaviors required for task success.
E) how complicated the information and actions involved in a task are, as well as how much the task changes.

Question 46

Marilou just left her job at Valley Creek Community College. Valley Creek had not honored the wage scale they promised to employees for several years, and many of Marilou's colleagues were let go before they could retire, often with no reason given. Marilou was stressed about her inability to guess what the future would hold for her at Valley Creek. Marilou was stressed because she had a need for

A) esteem.
B) control.
C) relatedness.
D) self-regard
E) self-actualization

Question 47

Rocco has been asked to set some effective goals for the workers in his sales department. Rocco wants to get the best performance out of his team that he can, because he is being evaluated on how well they do. How should Rocco go about determining the goals for his team?

A) allow the team to have autonomy and ownership by letting them set their own goals
B) set the goals beyond what people can actually do, so they go above and beyond in trying
C) keep the goals very broad and general, allowing them to evolve as market conditions fluctuate
D) make the goals very specific, stating exactly how many sales he wants and when he wants them
E) show his faith in the team by asking them to do their very best, because that's all he can ask of them

Question 48

Motivation that is controlled by some contingency that depends on task performance is ________ motivation.

A) control
B) extrinsic
C) intrinsic
D) expectant
E) efficacious

Question 49

________ is the cognitive groupings or clusters of outcomes that are viewed as having critical psychological or physiological consequences.

A) Instrumentality
B) Valence
C) Equity
D) Expectancy
E) Needs

Question 50

________ is the anticipated value of the outcomes associated with performance.

A) Instrumentality
B) Valence
C) Equity
D) Expectancy
E) Self-efficacy

Question 51

Jerri and Janelle work at Logistics of Love, a nonprofit designer of homeless shelters. Last month, Janelle, newly hired on a temporary designing assignment, was asked by her supervisor to oversee the company's social media presence. Being new to using social media in a professional context, Janelle is considering her efficacy. She talks to Jerri and other individuals who have been creating professional social media content for several years. Jerri takes pride in her work-related social media posts and always approaches company-based social media with total enthusiasm. Jerri tells Janelle that she believes exerting a high level of effort will result in a successful performance in representing the company on social media. Which of the following best describes Jerri's belief about exerting a high level of effort?

A) equity
B) valence
C) expectancy
D) instrumentality
E) emotional cues

Question 52

Kelli is about to deliver an important presentation on her highly innovative efficiency technique at an internationally recognized business conference. Just minutes before she is to go on stage, Kelli gets nervous and cannot remember half of her talking points. Her boss speaks to her, reminding her that she works everyday with the information she plans to communicate, which helps shore up her confidence. Kelli then makes a presentation that earns her a standing ovation. Which of the following considerations dictated Kelli's self-efficacy?

A) past accomplishments
B) vicarious experiences
C) verbal persuasion
D) equity distress
E) instrumentality

Question 53

Bill lays out a goal for Larry, the head of his printing department. He wants Larry to print exactly 500,000 books, which will be tracked by the counter on the book binding machine. Bill knows Larry can do this because they have printed that many books before. What does Bill need to add to make this a S.M.A.R.T. goal?

A) a list of suggested ways to improve efficiency
B) a deadline for when the books should be printed
C) the promise of a monetary bonus for making the goal
D) the contact information for the authors whose books will be printed
E) a sample book so Larry can see what the finished product looks like

Question 54

To hold a high evaluation of oneself and to feel effective and respected by others are ________ needs.

A) control
B) self-actualization
C) esteem
D) autonomy
E) relatedness

Question 55

Which of the following scenarios demonstrates how feedback can moderate progress toward attaining goals?

A) Theodore explains to Gilbert that the initial blueprints must be submitted to the client by the end of November.
B) Joleen tells Adam the original task they started will become considerably more complicated than was initially thought.
C) Jerry tells Jorge he has done a fantastic job so far, but he needs to bump his production up by ten percent to meet the required rate.
D) Samir tells Cliff to reach out to him and let him know if he has any questions or needs any supplies or equipment to do his job properly.
E) Louie tells Elaine she needs to make sure she has enough covers made for the seats Alex is making, but does not tell her how many seats Alex has made.

Question 56

________ is a type of self-esteem influenced by past accomplishments, vicarious experiences, verbal persuasion, and emotional cues.

A) Task complexity
B) Basic feedback
C) Compensation
D) Efficacy
E) Valence

Question 57

Goals are defined as

A) measurable proof that significant progress is being made toward fulfilling some important purpose by a set deadline.
B) how complicated the information and actions involved in a task are, as well as how much the task is expected to change over time.
C) the objective or aim of an action, typically refer to attaining a specific standard of proficiency, often within a specified time limit.
D) cognitive groupings or clusters of outcomes that are viewed as having critical psychological or physiological consequences.
E) a set of energetic forces that originates both within and outside an employee, initiates work-related effort, and determines its direction, intensity, and persistence.

Question 58

Ernest has a high paying, low-stress job as a buyer at a warehouse facility. Most people are envious of Ernest, but he is not happy. Ernest would rather work in a park or forest where he could help the environment and preserve nature, because that is more important to him than his high salary. Ernest's longing to work with nature is a ________ need.

A) control
B) self-regard
C) relatedness
D) responsibility
E) self-actualization

Question 59

Which of these refers to the learning plans and problem-solving approaches used to achieve successful performance?

A) expectancies
B) emotional cues
C) vicarious experiences
D) valences
E) task strategies

Question 60

Jerri and Janelle work at Logistics of Love, a nonprofit designer of homeless shelters. Last month, Janelle, newly hired on a temporary designing assignment, was asked by her supervisor to oversee the company's social media presence. Being new to using social media in a professional context, Janelle is considering her efficacy. She talks to Jerri and other individuals who have been creating professional social media content for several years. Jerri takes pride in her work-related social media posts and always approaches company-based social media with total enthusiasm. Jerri tells Janelle that she believes exerting a high level of effort will result in a successful performance in representing the company on social media. Jerri's self-efficacy source appears to be

A) past accomplishments.
B) vicarious experiences.
C) verbal persuasion.
D) emotional cues.
E) instrumentality.

Question 61

After his annual performance appraisal, Joe was disappointed with his 5 percent increase in pay, compared to the 10 percent increase his colleagues received. When Joe spoke to his manager, he was told his colleagues were able to perform well over the minimum standard. Joe had not been aware of the minimum he was expected to achieve or the levels generally achieved by his colleagues. What would best help Joe improve his performance?

A) increasing Joe's goal commitment
B) increasing Joe's task complexity
C) increasing Joe's dissonance
D) decreasing Joe's valence
E) setting specific goals

Question 62

The ________ is the person who seems to provide an intuitive frame of reference for judging equity.

A) equity resolver
B) comparison other
C) cognitive distortion creator
D) goals monitor
E) outcome evaluator

Question 63

Brandy has been given a great deal of opportunity to advance her career. She recently got a huge increase in authority and salary, and she was hired to do what she has always claimed was her dream job. However, Brandy is not enthusiastic about coming to work, and when she is there, she spends most of her time complaining about how Maurice got a bigger office and nicer furniture than she did. Brandy's behavior would seem to support ________ theory.

A) equity
B) extrinsic
C) expectancy
D) goal setting
E) psychological empowerment

Question 64

Noticing her reduced performance at work, Sabrina enrolled herself for training sessions offered by the company and saw her productivity improve. This helped restore her balance of comparison ratios. Prior to enrolling in the training session, Sabrina was most likely experiencing

A) overreward inequity.
B) self-efficacy.
C) cognitive distortion.
D) expectancy.
E) underreward inequity.

Question 65

Managers in global organizations recognize that some motivators are universal; that is, they work no matter what the culture. Other motivators differ by culture. Which of the following is not a universal motivator?

A) participation
B) interesting work
C) pay
D) achievement
E) growth

Question 66

For about five years, Lucy and Betty have been working for Bright Fires at the same level of management and doing similar kinds of work. Lucy has been focusing on setting specific and difficult goals for herself and believes that exerting a high level of effort will result in the successful performance in her job. On the other hand, Betty compares herself to different managers, such as Meg, who works for the competitor in a similar work position. Betty feels disheartened when she finds out that she is significantly underrewarded at Bright Fires. Lucy's focus on concepts such as difficulty and specificity is a key aspect of

A) expectancy.
B) goal setting.
C) equity theory.
D) extrinsic motivation.
E) psychological empowerment.

Question 67

The "A" in the S.M.A.R.T. goals acronym stands for

A) affordable.
B) ability.
C) achievable.
D) aspire.
E) assess.

Question 68

Which of the following is an example of what equity theory refers to as an external comparison?

A) Ashley is guilty because she found out she will be beating out her best friend, Morgan, for a promotion.
B) Bailey is angry because she finds out that dental hygienists in other offices earn more than she does.
C) Emmi thinks the other two receptionists in her office get longer lunches than she does.
D) Syd often calls other dentists to ask where to get supplies for the best price.
E) Marci feels like she is probably the least skilled player in the city orchestra.

Question 69

When someone from another company is referred to as the "comparison other," one is involved in a(n)

A) equity distress.
B) emotional cue.
C) cognitive distortion.
D) internal comparison.
E) external comparison.

Question 70

The "M" in the S.M.A.R.T. goals acronym stands for

A) measurable.
B) monetary.
C) methodical.
D) model.
E) major.

Question 71

Loralie feels guilty. She spends much of her day goofing around and never gets caught, but if Lillianne, who works at the next desk, replies to her or says anything, the boss seems to magically show up, and Lillianne gets reprimanded for wasting time. Which of the following would be the most productive way for Loralie to get rid of her guilt?

A) purposely get caught goofing off the next time the boss is near
B) file harassment charges against the boss on Lillianne's behalf
C) ignore Lillianne and pretend she does not work next to her
D) stop goofing off and remain as focused as Lillianne
E) teach Lillianne to goof off without getting caught

Question 72

The "T" in the S.M.A.R.T. goals acronym stands for

A) time-sensitive.
B) task-driven.
C) tenacious.
D) tempered.
E) team-oriented.

Question 73

Which of the following scenarios involving Tisha, a nurse at a major metropolitan hospital, depicts a situation where her ratio of outcomes to inputs is lower than her comparison other?

A) Tisha meets her improvement goal and receives a gift card, just as she was promised.
B) Tisha finds out that she will be assigned to the same number of hours as all of the other nurses.
C) Gavin, a nurse who has always outperformed Tisha, does not get a raise like Tisha and most other nurses.
D) Tisha makes a mess which is cleaned up by Rachel, another nurse, and then Rachel gets lectured for making the mess.
E) Valerie, a nurse with less experience than Tisha, gets first choice of vacation days, which is supposed to be done by seniority.

Question 74

In equity theory, ________ is rethinking your inputs to restore balance mentally without altering your behavior in any way.

A) equity distress
B) instrumentality
C) cognitive distortion
D) internal comparisons
E) external comparisons

Question 75

In equity theory, ________ is the internal tension that is caused by an imbalance in the ratios.

A) cognitive distortion
B) expectancy
C) equity distress
D) goal commitment
E) cognitive dissonance

Question 76

Which of the following is True about goal setting?

A) Specific, difficult goals are best.
B) Difficult goals reduce motivation.
C) Equity is the greatest moderator of goal achievement.
D) SNARK goals result in the highest levels of goals achievement.
E) Employees work hardest and are most engaged when the goals are easy.

Question 77

The "R" in the S.M.A.R.T. goals acronym stands for

A) robust.
B) resolved.
C) requirements.
D) results-based.
E) realist.

Question 78

Which theory suggests that employees create a "mental ledger" of the outcomes they get from their job duties?

A) expectancy
B) goal-setting
C) equity
D) psychological empowerment
E) extrinsic

Question 79

The "S" in the S.M.A.R.T. goals acronym stands for

A) systematic.
B) specific.
C) self-set.
D) scientific.
E) serious.

Question 80

A(n) ________ involves a "comparison other" in the same company.

A) equity distress
B) emotional cue
C) cognitive distortion
D) internal comparison
E) external comparison