Deck 7: Motivation Concepts

Question 1

According to the two-factor theory, ________.

A)there exists a hierarchy of needs within every human being, and as each need is satisfied, the next one becomes dominant
B)most employees inherently dislike work and must therefore be directed or even coerced into performing it
C)employees view work as being as natural as rest or play, and therefore learn to accept, and even seek, responsibility
D)the aspects that lead to job satisfaction are separate and distinct from those that lead to job dissatisfaction
E)achievement, power, and affiliation are three important needs that help explain motivation

Answer 1

D
Explanation:D)The two-factor theory proposes that the factors that lead to job satisfaction are separate and distinct from those that lead to job dissatisfaction.

Question 2

________ is defined as the processes that account for an individual's intensity, direction, and persistence of effort toward attaining a goal.

A)Leadership
B)Management
C)Learning
D)Emotional labor
E)Motivation

Answer 2

E
Explanation:E)Motivation is defined as the processes that account for an individual's intensity, direction, and persistence of effort toward attaining a goal.

Question 3

Which of the following needs would most likely motivate Josephine?

A)social
B)esteem
C)physiological
D)self-actualization
E)safety

Answer 3

A
Explanation:A)According to Maslow, because Josephine is single and has little social interaction, she would strive to satisfy her social needs, which include affection, belongingness, acceptance, and friendship.

Question 4

Describe the three key elements in the definition of motivation.

Question 5

The ________ element of motivation describes how hard a person tries.

A)intelligence
B)experience
C)direction
D)intensity
E)persistence

Question 6

If we consider Maslow's hierarchy of needs in the context of Japan, Greece, and Mexico, where uncertainty-avoidance characteristics are strong, then ________ needs would be on top of the hierarchy.

A)self-actualization
B)security
C)social
D)esteem
E)growth

Question 7

Organizations influence their employees to volunteer.

Question 8

Which of the following needs in Maslow's hierarchy refers to the drive to become what one is capable of becoming?

A)social
B)self-actualization
C)physiological
D)esteem
E)safety

Question 9

Which of the following is a motivational factor according to Herzberg's two-factor theory?

A)quality of supervision
B)recognition
C)pay
D)relationships with others
E)company policies

Question 10

The ________ theory is also called motivation-hygiene theory.

A)hierarchy of needs
B)goal-setting
C)self-determination
D)cognitive evaluation
E)two-factor

Question 11

According to Douglas McGregor's Theory Y, a manager assumes that employees ________.

A)need to be directed
B)prefer to be controlled
C)learn to accept responsibility
D)need to be micromanaged
E)attempt to avoid work

Question 12

Motivation is defined as the processes that account for an individual's intensity, direction, and persistence of effort toward attaining a goal.

Question 13

If Alberta is categorized as a Theory X manager, which of the following behaviors is she most likely to exhibit?

A)She will empower her subordinates.
B)She will trust her employees to use their discretion in most matters.
C)She will strictly control all the details of any project she is managing.
D)She will delegate authority extensively to junior managers.
E)She will let her employees choose their own goals.

Question 14

Which of the following needs would most motivate Jonathan?

A)social
B)esteem
C)physiological
D)self-actualization
E)safety

Question 15

Why is Maslow's theory criticized?

A)The concept of self-actualization was unfounded.
B)There is little evidence that needs are structured or operate in the way it describes.
C)The esteem need is a more powerful motivator than self-actualization.
D)Its terminology tends to alienate those to whom it is applied.
E)It does not adequately describe how an organization can satisfy higher-order needs.

Question 16

Which level of Maslow's hierarchy of needs deals with satisfying one's hunger, thirst, and other bodily needs?

A)safety
B)physiological
C)social
D)esteem
E)psychological

Question 17

Which of the following theories proposes the idea of a dual continuum?

A)Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory
B)self-determination theory
C)two-factor theory
D)cognitive evaluation theory
E)McClelland's theory of needs

Question 18

Which of the following needs would most likely motivate Joanna?

A)social
B)esteem
C)physiological
D)self-actualization
E)safety

Question 19

According to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, which of the following is a lower-order need?

A)social
B)safety
C)esteem
D)self-actualization
E)recognition

Question 20

The ________ dimension of motivation measures how long a person can maintain effort.

A)direction
B)persistence
C)intensity
D)knowledge
E)experience

Question 21

Explain, in terms of McClelland's theory of needs, the relationship between the need for achievement and job performance.

Question 22

Briefly explain Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory.

Question 23

Which of the following theories proposes that people prefer to feel they have control over their actions, so anything that makes a previously enjoyed task feel more like an obligation than a freely chosen activity will undermine motivation?

A)self-serving theory
B)motivation-hygiene theory
C)two-factor theory
D)self-determination theory
E)goal setting theory

Question 24

Which of these five employees is most suitable for handling your responsibilities when you are on a vacation?

A)Joe
B)Mary
C)Tim
D)Sarah
E)Doug

Question 25

Which of following needs, as detailed by Maslow's hierarchy of needs, best corresponds to McClelland's need for affiliation?

A)safety
B)social
C)esteem
D)self-actualization
E)physiological

Question 26

According to Herzberg, when ________ are adequate, people won't be dissatisfied, but they will also not be satisfied.

A)achievement needs
B)affiliation needs
C)motivational factors
D)power needs
E)hygiene factors

Question 27

Which of these five employees is most likely to be suitable for a new assignment that involves a high degree of personal responsibility and feedback?

A)Joe
B)Mary
C)Tim
D)Sarah
E)Doug

Question 28

According to Herzberg, the opposite of "satisfaction" is "dissatisfaction."

Question 29

McClelland's theory is based on which of the following needs?

A)stability, growth, and security
B)achievement, power, and affiliation
C)self-actualization, stability, and safety
D)hygiene, control, and security
E)control, status, and self-actualization

Question 30

Explain how a manager motivates employees with reference to Herzberg's two-factor theory.

Question 31

Erika wants to become the head of the HR department. Although the role comes with a generous salary hike and will put her in charge of several subordinates, she is mainly pursuing this position because she believes she can do the job better than anyone else and wants people to know this. According to McClelland's theory of needs, which of the following needs is Erika primarily driven by in this case?

A)the need for stability
B)the need for achievement
C)the need for security
D)the need for affiliation
E)the need for power

Question 32

Under Theory Y, managers believe that employees inherently dislike work and must therefore be directed or even coerced into performing it.

Question 33

Explain the similarities between Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory and McClelland's theory of needs.

Question 34

According to McClelland's theory of needs, when jobs have a high degree of personal responsibility and feedback and an intermediate degree of risk, high achievers are strongly motivated.

Question 35

Compare and contrast a Theory X manager and a Theory Y manager.

Question 36

Which of the following statements is true regarding the cognitive evaluation theory?

A)People need extrinsic rewards in order to be motivated.
B)Extrinsic rewards tend to reduce intrinsic interest in a task.
C)Intrinsic rewards are almost as effective as extrinsic rewards.
D)Externally imposed standards of work largely improve intrinsic motivation.
E)Extrinsic rewards, including verbal praise, significantly decrease intrinsic motivation.

Question 37

Which of the following statements is true according to McClelland's theory of needs?

A)People with a high achievement need prefer tasks that have a high level of risk.
B)People with a high achievement need are interested in motivating others to do well.
C)People with a high need for power and affiliation often make good managers in large firms.
D)People with a high achievement need experience great satisfaction from success that comes by luck.
E)People with a high need for power and a low need for affiliation often make the best managers.

Question 38

According to Maslow, lower-order needs are satisfied internally while higher-order needs are satisfied externally.

Question 39

According to the two-factor theory proposed by Herzberg, which of the following is considered a hygiene factor?

A)promotional opportunities
B)quality of supervision
C)achievement
D)recognition
E)responsibility

Question 40

McClelland's theory of needs proposes that the factors that lead to job satisfaction are separate and distinct from those that lead to job dissatisfaction.

Question 41

Self-determination theory proposes that in addition to being driven by a need for autonomy, people seek ways to achieve ________.

A)competence and positive connections
B)high rewards
C)recognition and status
D)career growth
E)power and control

Question 42

________ refers to an individual's belief that he or she is capable of performing a task.

A)Emotional contagion
B)Affect intensity
C)Self-efficacy
D)Self-determination
E)Reinforcement

Question 43

Unlike in the case of goal-setting theory, MBO strongly advocates ________.

A)self-generated feedback
B)explicit time periods
C)jointly set goals
D)independent tasks
E)specific performance objectives

Question 44

The Pygmalion effect is also called the ________ effect.

A)halo
B)self-concordance
C)Galatea
D)self-determination
E)pseudocertainty

Question 45

Rachel's parents used to pay her an allowance every week to feed the cats and to do a few other chores around the house. However, once her mother lost her job, her parents stopped giving her an allowance. Although Rachel quit making her bed every morning, she still continued to feed the cats. Which of the following best explains why Rachel continues to feed the cats?

A)Without the extrinsic reward, the task itself is eliminated.
B)With the extrinsic reward, the execution of the task relies on internal motivation.
C)Without the intrinsic reward, the execution of the task relies on external motivation.
D)Without the extrinsic reward, the execution of the task relies on internal motivation.
E)With the intrinsic reward, the execution of the task relies on external motivation.

Question 46

With reference to the four sources of self-efficacy as proposed by Albert Bandura, verbal persuasion involves becoming more confident ________.

A)because you have gained relevant experience with the particular task or job
B)because you see someone else doing the particular task or job
C)because someone convinces you that you have the skills necessary to be successful
D)because you are rewarded for performing a similar task well
E)because you get energized or "psyched up" to perform the particular task or job

Question 47

The concept of ________ considers how strongly people's reasons for pursuing goals are consistent with their interests and core values.

A)self-serving bias
B)self-fulfilling prophecy
C)self-concordance
D)self-actualization
E)self-efficacy

Question 48

People who pursue goals for intrinsic reasons are more likely to attain their goals and are happy even if they do not.

Question 49

The ________ theory is also known as the social cognitive theory or the social learning theory.

A)two-factor
B)self-determination
C)goal-setting
D)self-efficacy
E)reinforcement

Question 50

Which of the following ways of increasing self-efficacy is generally used by motivational speakers?

A)arousal
B)enactive mastery
C)focused training
D)vicarious modeling
E)verbal persuasion

Question 51

One of the sources of self-efficacy is ________, becoming more confident because you see someone else doing the task.

A)arousal
B)enactive mastery
C)visualization
D)vicarious modeling
E)verbal persuasion

Question 52

According to goal-setting theory, goals are more likely to have a stronger impact on performance when ________.

A)goals have long time frames for completion
B)tasks are complex rather than simple
C)tasks are novel rather than well learned
D)goals are easy rather than difficult
E)tasks are independent rather than interdependent

Question 53

The best way for a manager to use verbal persuasion is through the ________, a form of self-fulfilling prophecy in which believing something can make it true.

A)confirmation bias
B)Pygmalion effect
C)anchoring bias
D)framing effect
E)Electra complex

Question 54

MBO emphasizes goals that are ________.

A)tangible, verifiable, and measurable
B)achievable, controllable, and profitable
C)inspirational, verifiable, and creative
D)tangible, rewarding, and assigned
E)profitable, attainable, and self-set

Question 55

MBO provides individual employees with ________.

A)personal performance objectives
B)greater work supervision
C)predefined targets
D)generalized feedback
E)clear-cut growth paths

Question 56

The proponents of reinforcement theory view behavior as ________.

A)the result of a cognitive process
B)environmentally caused
C)a reflection of the inner state of the individual
D)a function of one's power need
E)a product of heredity

Question 57

Which of the following statements is true regarding goal-setting theory?

A)Goal commitment is more likely when individuals have an external locus of control.
B)Externally generated feedback is more powerful than self-generated feedback.
C)Generalized goals produce a higher level of output than specific goals.
D)People do better when they get feedback on how well they are progressing toward their goals.
E)Assigned goals generate greater goal commitment in low rather than high power-distance cultures.

Question 58

Which of the following sources of increasing self-efficacy involves gaining relevant experience with a particular task or job?

A)verbal persuasion
B)enactive mastery
C)vicarious modeling
D)arousal
E)cognitive learning

Question 59

According to Albert Bandura, the most important source of increasing self-efficacy is ________.

A)arousal
B)vicarious modeling
C)verbal persuasion
D)enactive mastery
E)cognitive learning

Question 60

A(n)________ is any consequence immediately following a response that increases the probability that the behavior will be repeated.

A)conclusion
B)reinforcer
C)goal
D)objective
E)referent

Question 61

In equity theory, individuals assess the ________.

A)cost-benefit ratio
B)efficiency-effectiveness trade-off
C)quantity-quality trade-off
D)outcome-input ratio
E)quality of outcome

Question 62

What is the limitation of reinforcement theory in explaining changes in behavior?

A)It does not adequately describe the original behavior.
B)It places too much emphasis on feelings and attitudes.
C)Most behavior is, in fact, environmentally caused.
D)It ignores the effect of rewards and punishments on behavior.
E)It does not recognize the effect of cognitive variables.

Question 63

To get the best results while using reinforcement theory, rewards should be ________.

A)small and given only once
B)large and given at irregular intervals
C)given prior to the desired behavior response
D)given immediately following the desired behavior
E)presented publicly with a large number of witnesses

Question 64

According to social learning theory, which of the following processes demonstrates whether an individual is capable of performing the modeled activities?

A)attentional process
B)retention process
C)motor reproduction process
D)reinforcement process
E)motivation process

Question 65

Other-outside is a referent comparison that refers to ________.

A)an employee's experiences in a similar position outside the employee's current organization
B)another individual or group of individuals inside the employee's organization
C)an employee's experiences in a different position inside the employee's current organization
D)another individual or group of individuals outside the employee's organization
E)an employee's experiences in a different position outside the employee's current organization

Question 66

George is trying to teach his two-year old son to gently caress their cat. George softly strokes the animal and every time his son does the same, he rewards him with kind words like "good job!" The child is very attentive during the process and claps his hands when his father praises him. However, as soon as George leaves, the boy lunges for the cat and grabs it by the tail. Which process of social-learning theory is failing?

A)attentional processes
B)justification processes
C)retention processes
D)motor reproduction processes
E)reinforcement processes

Question 67

Self-inside, one of the four referent comparisons in the equity theory, refers to ________.

A)an employee's experiences in a different position inside the employee's current organization
B)an employee's experiences in a different position outside the employee's current organization
C)another individual or group of individuals inside the employee's organization
D)an employee's experiences in a similar position outside the employee's current organization
E)another individual or group of individuals outside the employee's organization

Question 68

________ argues that people learn to behave to get something they want or to avoid something they don't want.

A)Theory Y
B)Theory X
C)Social cognitive theory
D)Operant conditioning theory
E)McClelland's theory of needs

Question 69

Jackie thinks that she is paid a lot less than other employees in her division and feels extremely resentful. She starts taking long breaks and generally wastes time. Her actions resulted from a perceived lack of ________ justice.

A)interactional
B)interpersonal
C)procedural
D)distributive
E)associative

Question 70

Following this discovery, Megan starts coming to work late and her productivity begins to suffer. Which of the following is most similar to the scenario mentioned above based on the equity theory?

A)Dawn starts coming to work early and stays late once she learns that the mid-term review is around the corner.
B)Greg believes he works harder than any of the other members in his department as they often leave the office before him.
C)Lisa starts working longer hours after learning that her co-workers earn less than she does for the same work.
D)Myrtle produces a higher number of units to compensate for the lower quality of her output.
E)Beth submits her resignation after she was passed over for promotion for the second time.

Question 71

The concept of operant conditioning is a part of the broader concept of ________, which argues that behavior follows stimuli in a relatively unthinking manner.

A)equity theory
B)expectancy theory
C)cognitive behavioral therapy
D)behaviorism
E)humanism

Question 72

Karen graduated from college four years ago and has been working at Betaphy Inc. ever since. She has consistently received good performance evaluations for the quality of her work. She recently found out that her company hired a fresh college graduate with no experience at a salary higher than hers. Which of the following theories will Karen most likely use to evaluate this situation?

A)reinforcement
B)goal setting
C)equity
D)expectancy
E)operant conditioning

Question 73

Jim is a salaried employee whose job is to develop content for online Web sites. He discovers that he is paid substantially more than his colleagues even though their jobs and levels of performance are very similar. According to the equity theory, what impact is this discovery most likely to have on his behavior and performance?

A)He will reduce the amount of work that he does on a daily basis.
B)He will compare his earnings to those of another group of employees.
C)He will increase his productivity and/or the overall quality of his work.
D)He will seek a position within the company commensurate with his pay.
E)He will begin to look for a position outside of the company.

Question 74

Which of the following types of justice relates most strongly to job satisfaction, employee trust, withdrawal from the organization, job performance, and citizenship behaviors?

A)associative justice
B)interactional justice
C)distributive justice
D)procedural justice
E)integrative justice

Question 75

Edith believes that the methods for determining salary hikes and bonuses in her company are extremely unfair. In this case, Edith perceives a lack of ________ justice.

A)interpersonal
B)distributive
C)associative
D)procedural
E)interactional

Question 76

Why do people who perceive themselves as victims of interactional injustice often blame their immediate supervisor rather than the organization at large?

A)Interpersonal justice or injustice is intimately tied to the conveyer of the information.
B)Interactional injustice usually occurs during face-to-face encounters.
C)When people are not treated with respect, they tend to retaliate against those closest at hand.
D)Interactional injustice is in the eyes of those who perceive they are disrespected.
E)Interactional injustice is most often the result of the impersonal policies of the organization.

Question 77

According to the equity theory, there are four referent comparisons. The referent comparison known as other-inside refers to ________.

A)an employee's experiences in a different position inside the employee's current organization
B)an employee's experiences in a different position outside the employee's current organization
C)another individual or group of individuals inside the employee's organization
D)an employee's experiences in a similar position outside the employee's current organization
E)another individual or group of individuals outside the employee's organization

Question 78

Helen, a high school teacher, wants her students to actively participate more in class. She has decided to use reinforcement theory to get the required results. Which of the following methods is she most likely to use?

A)She is going to call on students who never participate.
B)She is going to yell at students, telling them that they are not making good grades.
C)She is going to ask the students that always participate to allow the others to have a chance.
D)She is going to model what active participation should look like at the beginning of class.
E)She is going to give students an extra mark each time that they contribute.

Question 79

Based on the equity theory, which of the following, if true, would strengthen the argument that Megan is trying to gain a sense of equity by changing her inputs?

A)She asks her boss for a raise, citing her years of experience with the company.
B)She claims that extrinsic rewards make work seem like a chore and less enjoyable.
C)She accepts additional responsibilities but fails to carry them out effectively.
D)She takes long breaks from work and shirks her responsibilities.
E)She constantly interrupts her colleague, refusing to let her get any work done.

Question 80

Based on the equity theory, which of the following, if true, would strengthen the argument that Megan is trying to gain a sense of equity by distorting her perception of herself?

A)She thinks that her colleague is paid more because she is an Ivy League graduate.
B)She believes that she is less capable than her colleague.
C)She assumes that her colleague received a higher package due to changes in industry standards.
D)She believes that her salary is not commensurate with her skills and experience.
E)She believes that she is doing a lot better career-wise compared to the people with whom she graduated.