Deck 2: Individual Difference and Job Attitudes

Question 1

Sebastian has been paired with Jules for a school project. He quickly discovers that while Jules is a nice, considerate person, her ideas are dull and unimaginative. Sebastian is rating Jules on the personality factors of extraversion and conscientiousness.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

As noted in "Across Cultures Competency: Mercedes-Benz," all workers at Mercedes-Benz expect to be treated equally.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

In terms of cultural values, the United States would be described as collectivist society tolerant of uncertainty avoidance.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Hope involves a person's mental willpower and waypower to achieve goals.

Question 5

When describing an individual as either shy or friendly, or agreeable or argumentative, you are describing that person's personality traits.

Question 6

In "Teams Competency: Why Personality is Important at Starbucks," it is noted that the baristas at Starbucks receive training in all areas of the company's business.

Question 7

The two primary sources that shape personality differences are

A) heredity and environment.
B) emotions and attitudes.
C) culture and lifestyle.
D) family and friends.

Question 8

Which of the following statements regarding personality development is TRUE?

A) Personality is determined by heredity and does not change over the course of one's life.
B) The greatest changes in personality development occur in early childhood.
C) Personality development is relatively stable, but great changes occur later in one's life.
D) Personality development is rarely stable and dramatic changes can be seen in all stages of a person's life.

Question 9

A person's locus of control represents the overall profile or combination of stable psychological attributes that capture the unique nature of a person.

Question 10

The set of psychological attributes that captures the unique nature of a person is referred to as

A) attitude.
B) emotion.
C) personality.
D) self-esteem.

Question 11

What does recent research suggest regarding the role of heredity on personality?

A) Although heredity was thought to play a key role in the formation of personality, recent studies show that heredity has very little to do with how a person's personality is formed.
B) There is evidence to support the fact that heredity plays a strong role in the formation of one's personality as well as the career one chooses.
C) Evidence shows that inherited traits contribute to a person's way of thinking, but have little effect on how his or her personality is formed.
D) Long-term studies conclude that one's environment and experiences ultimately shape that person's personality.

Question 12

According to "Learning From Experience: Kathleen Kennedy," what was Kathleen Kennedy's first Hollywood job?

A) producer
B) actor
C) accountant
D) secretary

Question 13

The personality factor that relates to one's imagination and creativity is openness.

Question 14

According to psychologist Daniel Goleman, for a person to be effective in a leadership position, it is important for that person to have an elevated level of emotional intelligence.

Question 15

The extent to which individuals in a society accept status and power inequalities as a normal and functional aspect of life is termed power distance.

Question 16

As noted in "Diversity Competency: Deloitte & Touche," the firm changed its diversity policy upon realizing that the firm's turnover rate for women was 30 percent.

Question 17

The primary way an individual is socialized into a particular culture is through the person's life experiences.

Question 18

As noted in "Self Competency, David Neeleman, Founder of JetBlue," it was Neeleman's upbringing in the wealthy part of Brazil that influenced his personality and subsequent management of JetBlue.

Question 19

In "Learning From Experience: Kathleen Kennedy," it was noted that some of the best advice Steven Spielberg gave to his then secretary Kathleen Kennedy, was to "slow down."

Question 20

When analyzing the role heredity plays in personality, it has been found that there is one specific gene that determines a person's personality.

Question 21

John is assembling a work team tasked with developing innovative uses for the firm's new product line. In selecting people to be part of this team, which of the Big Five personality factors would be most beneficial?

A) having a high degree of openness
B) having a high degree of agreeableness
C) having a low degree of emotional stability
D) having a low degree of conscientiousness

Question 22

People with a high ______ believe that chance, fate, or other individuals primarily determine what will happen to them.

A) external locus of control
B) level of agreeableness
C) internal locus of control
D) level of extraversion

Question 23

In terms of the Big Five personality factors, self-esteem would most likely be part of which factor?

A) emotional stability
B) extraversion
C) openness
D) agreeableness

Question 24

Parents influence their children's development in three important ways. Which of the following is NOT one of those ways?

A) by presenting situations that bring out certain behaviors in children
B) by shaping the culture and overall environment in which they live
C) by serving as a role model with which children can identify
D) by selectively rewarding and punishing certain behaviors

Question 25

The Big Five personality factors are agreeableness, extraversion, conscientiousness, openness and

A) emotional stability.
B) reliability.
C) self-esteem.
D) emotional intelligence.

Question 26

Hector is secure in dealing with others. He is relaxed and doesn't often get angry. Because of this, his boss often selects him to deal with crisis situations. Hector ranks high on which of the Big Five personality factors?

A) openness
B) agreeableness
C) emotional stability
D) conscientiousness

Question 27

On her resume, Belinda states that she is outgoing, confident, creative, and dependable. These descriptors are Belinda's

A) unique job qualifications.
B) social skills.
C) personality traits.
D) personal orientation.

Question 28

Which of the Big Five personality factors is concerned with self-discipline, acting responsibly, and directing one's behavior?

A) openness
B) agreeableness
C) emotional stability
D) conscientiousness

Question 29

People with a(n) ______ personality tend to take personal initiative across a range of activities and situations.

A) reactive
B) external
C) proactive
D) internal

Question 30

Validity in a personality measure refers to

A) how consistently the measure will garner the same results each time it is used.
B) how many times the measure must be applied in order to receive adequate results.
C) how important the measure is to other things that are important.
D) how often the measure obtains the results that were expected.

Question 31

"Self Competency: David Neeleman, Founder of JetBlue," attributes which life experience to David Neeleman's management of JetBlue?

A) living in the slums while on a mission trip
B) growing up in the wealthy part of Brazil
C) receiving poor customer service from other airlines
D) belonging to a country club when he was young

Question 32

The extent to which an individual believes that he or she is a worthwhile and deserving individual is referred to as

A) emotional stability.
B) self-esteem.
C) locus of control.
D) self-awareness.

Question 33

When a personality measure consistently gets the same results, it is said to be

A) stable.
B) reliable.
C) valid.
D) biased.

Question 34

As it relates to the Big Five personality factors, a person who is warm and considerate ranks high on the ______ factor, while a person who is shy and withdrawn ranks low on the ______ factor.

A) openness; emotional stability
B) agreeableness; extraversion
C) emotional stability; openness
D) extraversion; agreeableness

Question 35

Blake can't understand why his friend Justin always plays the lottery since Blake believes a person's good fortune is a direct result of that person's hard work and not the result of fate or chance. Blake has a

A) high internal locus of control.
B) low internal locus of control.
C) high external locus of control.
D) nonexistent locus of control.

Question 36

The personality dimension of ______ depends on life experiences such as the opportunity to achieve one's goals, the ability to influence others, and having a clear sense of being valued by others.

A) emotion
B) attitude
C) motivation
D) self-esteem

Question 37

A person's most dominant characteristics such as being shy or outgoing is that person's

A) personality.
B) attitude.
C) emotional state.
D) orientation.

Question 38

Which of the following is the primary vehicle for socializing an individual into a particular culture?

A) immediate family
B) group membership
C) life experiences
D) peers

Question 39

Locus of control is typically considered to be part of the _______ factor of the Big Five personality dimensions.

A) emotional stability
B) conscientiousness
C) openness
D) agreeableness

Question 40

Nathan has noticed that his new employee Chris tends to be careless in his duties and is shy around other people. Nathan wonders if he can change these aspects about Chris's personality or if he should just assign him simple tasks that he can do alone. What advice would you give Nathan?

A) Give Chris an ultimatum and he will change his personality.
B) It will be almost impossible to change Chris' personality.
C) Chris's personality will change provided the surrounding environment changes.
D) If Nathan is reasonable in his requests, he can easily get Chris to change his personality.

Question 41

"Teams Competency: Why Personality Is Important at Starbucks," Starbucks seeks to employ individuals who treat each other with high respect and dignity. Because of this, Starbucks would look to hire people with

A) a high level of extraversion.
B) a high level of emotional stability.
C) a low level of social empathy.
D) a low level of self-awareness.

Question 42

A society in which gender roles overlap is said to be

A) masculine.
B) feminine.
C) gender neutral.
D) gender biased.

Question 43

What does research suggest about the correlation between job satisfaction and job performance?

A) Job satisfaction and job performance are influenced by one's personality.
B) There is a direct link between job satisfaction and job performance.
C) Job performance and job satisfaction are not influenced by one's attitudes or locus of control.
D) There is no link between a satisfied, high-performing workforce and overall organizational effectiveness.

Question 44

Which of the following is a characteristic of a high-hope individual?

A) having a low level of autonomy
B) having an internal locus of control
C) refraining from self-talk
D) having an external locus of control

Question 45

A high-hope individual that is blocked from reaching his or her goal will

A) become angry and engage in negative behavior.
B) abandon the notion of setting goals altogether.
C) find another goal that will fulfill similar needs.
D) will succumb to self-pity and seek the consolation of others.

Question 46

Job _______ is the extent to which individuals find fulfillment in their work.

A) satisfaction
B) appreciation
C) awareness
D) motivation

Question 47

What is emotional intelligence?

A) how well an individual handles oneself and others
B) how smart an individual is in terms of aptitude
C) how capable a person is in forming meaningful relationships
D) how well a person can recognize his or her strengths and limitations

Question 48

What are attitudes?

A) the combination of psychological attributes that capture the unique nature of a person
B) the complex patterns of feelings toward an object or person
C) the relatively lasting feelings, thoughts, and behaviors aimed at specific individuals, groups, ideas, issues, or objects.
D) the basic components that make up one's personality

Question 49

The predisposition to act on a favorable or unfavorable evaluation to a specific person, idea, event, or object represents the ______ component of an attitude.

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

Question 50

A culture high on individualism would emphasize

A) a common welfare.
B) group goals.
C) personal achievement.
D) a sense of belonging.

Question 51

The ______ component of an attitude reflects the thoughts, opinions, knowledge, or information held by the individual about a specific person, idea, event, or object.

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

Question 52

Which of the following scenarios does NOT reflect a management practice aimed at helping employees become high-hope individuals?

A) Trevor's boss is helping him set clear and specific goals with benchmarks so he can track his progress in reaching the goal.
B) In reviewing her employee's goal, Valerie realizes that it is too specific, so she is reworking the goal to be more vague and less demanding.
C) Jason is trying to figure out ways to motivate Andrew to reach his goals.
D) Sarah is having a tough time reaching her goals, so her boss Tammy is helping her break her long-term goals into small sub-goals.

Question 53

What aspect of having a proactive personality tends to help employees excel on the job?

A) not wasting time building social relationships
B) letting others take the lead and following orders
C) delegating required tasks to others
D) pursuing initiatives beyond the required job roles

Question 54

Because he is good at acknowledging his employees' accomplishments and is sensitive to their needs, Tanveer's employees love having him for a supervisor. What dimension of emotional intelligence does Tanveer exhibit?

A) Social empathy
B) Self-awareness
C) Self-motivation
D) Social skills

Question 55

The tendency of individuals to emphasize their belonging to groups and to look after each other in exchange for loyalty is referred to as

A) collectivism.
B) individualism.
C) power distance.
D) uncertainty avoidance.

Question 56

Which of the following behaviors demonstrates the fact that Pranav was raised in a high power distance culture?

A) Pranav tends to look out for himself. He will pursue his own goals before that of any work group in which he is a member.
B) At work, Pranav does not question his boss but rather does exactly what his boss tells him; he does not want to be in disagreement with his superiors.
C) Pranav understands the importance of belonging to a group; he would never point out a group member's mistake in front of the whole group.
D) Pranav feels that the best way to get the job done is in an orderly fashion by adhering to formalized procedures.

Question 57

Self-awareness, social empathy, self-motivation, and social skills are all attributes of

A) a low internal locus of control.
B) emotional intelligence.
C) emotional stability.
D) a high external locus of control.

Question 58

______ refers to being results oriented and pursuing goals beyond what is required.

A) Self-motivation
B) Self-awareness
C) Openness
D) Agreeableness

Question 59

______ can be described as having both the mental willpower and the means necessary to make a goal become a reality.

A) Hope
B) Reason
C) Determination
D) Outlook

Question 60

Whether a society has a short- or long-term orientation has to do with how the society embraces

A) formalized rules.
B) personal achievement.
C) loyalty.
D) rewards.

Question 61

What role does the family, particularly the role of parents, play in socializing individuals into a particular culture?

Question 62

In "Diversity Competency: Deloitte & Touche," what was the driving force that made the company change its diversity policy?

A) very few women were partners of the firm and the turnover rate for women was quite high
B) international customers complained that the firm employed too few people from other countries
C) the firm was losing clients because too few people in the company spoke more than one language
D) the firm ranked lowest on a survey of diversity in the accounting industry

Question 63

What is job satisfaction and why do employers want to have satisfied employees?

Question 64

List the Big Five personality factors and provide characteristics of each dimension as it appears on a continuum from high to low.

Question 65

"Across Cultures Competency: Mercedes-Benz," how does plant worker George Jones describe job satisfaction?

A) getting along with your coworkers
B) having a voice in what goes on
C) being paid fairly for the work you perform
D) putting the company's needs before your own

Question 66

Explain the difference between an internal and an external locus of control. To which of the Big Five personality factors does locus of control pertain?

Question 67

What are the four dimensions of emotional intelligence? Provide an example of each.

Question 68

Define personality and explain the role that heredity and environment play on shaping one's personality.

Question 69

The level to which Natalie identifies with her company and the strength of her involvement in the company can be defined as her

A) job motivation.
B) organizational commitment.
C) locus of control.
D) job performance.

Question 70

What is organizational commitment and what are the characteristics of a committed employee?

Question 71

Why does organizational commitment tends to increase over time?

A) because individuals dislike change and therefore tend to stay with the same organization regardless of its shortcomings
B) because the workload tends to decrease and become easier the longer one is with an organization
C) because the "fear of the unknown" keeps employees from seeking other job opportunities
D) because individuals develop deeper ties to the organization and their coworkers as they spend more time with them

Question 72

Define attitudes and describe the three components that comprise an attitude.

Question 73

Explain the difference between reliability and validity as it pertains to personality measurements.

Question 74

Compare and contrast societies based on individualism from those based on collectivism. Give examples of countries that fit each type.

Question 75

Which of the following does NOT characterize a strong organizational commitment?

A) a desire to remain with the organization
B) support and acceptance of the organization's goals and values
C) a willingness to stay with the organization until a better offer comes along
D) a willingness to exert considerable effort on behalf of the organization