Deck 6: Learning and Performance Management

Question 1

All of the following are ways QuikTrip motivates employees by emphasizing external theories of motivation except:

A)promoting from within
B)training from within using employees who are personal trainers
C)paying employees well
D)prioritizing individual's multiple goals by the valence and expectancy of a particular reward

Answer 1

D

Question 2

As a supervisor you decide to use positive reinforcement to increase the probability that desired job performance will be repeated.All of the following are appropriate as positive reinforcement except:

A)salary increase after evaluation
B)promotion after several outstanding performance reviews
C)releasing employee to go home early but providing full pay
D)no response or feedback when employee fails to complete task on time

Answer 2

D

Question 3

A colleague does not respond to the sarcastic comments of a coworker but compliments the sarcastic colleague for constructive comments.Which of the following statements are true?

A)The colleague was using extinction and negative reinforcement.
B)The colleague was using positive and negative consequences.
C)The colleague used only positive consequences.
D)The colleague used extinction and positive reinforcement.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Which of the following reinforcement consequences would have the most effect under OBM?

A)routine pay for performance
B)social recognition
C)performance feedback
D)money-based reinforcement

Question 5

Operant conditioning is based on the notion that behavior is a function of:

A)seated beliefs
B)perception and thinking
C)unconscious drives
D)its consequences

Question 6

Modifying behavior so that a conditioned stimulus is paired with an unconditioned stimulus and elicits an unconditioned response defines:

A)operant conditioning
B)classical conditioning
C)reinforcement
D)learning

Question 7

According to your text, a major review of the research on the influence of OBM in organizations found that it had a positive and significant influence on task performance in both manufacturing and service organizations, but the effects were more powerful in manufacturing. In a study of "pay for performance", more productive employees chose "pay for performance" over "fixed" compensation when given a choice. However, regardless of which pay scheme employees chose, which of the following statements is most accurate?

A)nonfinancial reinforcers generated higher performance than "pay for performance"
B)social reinforcement generated higher performance then "pay for performance"
C)"pay for performance" resulted in better productivity regardless of the pay scheme
D)"pay for performance" resulted in higher productivity when combined with social reinforcement

Question 8

A person working at a computer terminal may get lower back tension as a result of poor posture.If the person becomes aware of that tension only when the manager enters the work area, then the person may develop lower back tension at the appearance of the manager.This scenario would be an example of:

A)operant conditioning
B)classical conditioning
C)paired reinforcement
D)behavior modification

Question 9

QuikTrip holds to the gospel of rigorously hiring "nice people" as well as training from within, promoting from within, and paying the "right" people well to reinforce performance. These policies are more consistent with:

A)internal theories of motivation
B)Herzberg's two factor theory
C)Theory Y assumptions
D)external theories of motivation

Question 10

All of the following are strategies used to influence the consequences of behavior except:

A)extinction
B)punishment
C)positive consequences
D)neutral consequences

Question 11

In the animal learning research of Pavlov, the sound of the bell was the:

A)conditioned response
B)unconditional stimulus
C)conditioned stimulus
D)consequence of the dog's salvation

Question 12

A form of operant conditioning that has been used successfully to shape organizational behavior is known as:

A)job enrichment
B)organization development
C)employee empowerment
D)organizational behavior modification

Question 13

The behaviorist approach to learning assumes observable behavior is a function of:

A)both the person and the environment
B)external cues
C)its consequences
D)the interaction between the affect and cognitive components of an individual

Question 14

The schedule of reinforcement that provides the least impact or incentive for performing well is known as:

A)fixed ratio
B)variable ratio
C)fixed interval
D)variable interval

Question 15

In terms of the work environment, learning:

A)takes place through formal training programs
B)is primarily the cognitive activity of acquiring knowledge
C)is ad hoc and accidental
D)is primarily a change in behavior acquired through experience and knowledge acquisition

Question 16

Which of the following is NOT a limitation of classical conditioning?

A)Humans are more complex and less amenable to simple cause-and-effect conditioning.
B)Behavioral environments in organizations are complex and not very amenable to single stimulus-response manipulations.
C)Unconditioned responses and unconditioned stimulus have not been connected in humans.
D)Complex human decision making makes it possible to override simple conditioning.

Question 17

The process of modifying behavior through the use of positive or negative consequences following specific behaviors is called:

A)classical conditioning
B)Pavlovian conditioning
C)Skinner's Integrated Model of conditioning
D)operant conditioning

Question 18

Reinforcement and punishment are administered through:

A)extinction
B)positive or/and negative consequences
C)ignoring the behavior
D)withholding a positive consequence

Question 19

A manager who reduces an employee's pay if the employee comes to work late and refrains from doing so when the employee is on time has:

A)positively reinforced the employee's on-time behavior
B)negatively reinforced the employee's on-time behavior
C)utilized extinction to reduce the undesirable behavior
D)none of these

Question 20

Which of the following is a form of operant conditioning?

A)expectancy theory
B)the expectation-performance-reward-satisfaction chain
C)the attempt by a supervisor to satisfy higher order needs of employees through participation
D)organizational behavior modification

Question 21

Which of the following has not been shown to moderate the relationship between goal difficulty and task performance?

A)goal commitment
B)effective performance feedback
C)low self monitor
D)required skills and abilities

Question 22

Intuitors, in terms of learning, prefer:

A)to search for practical applications
B)interpersonal involvement
C)specific, empirical data
D)theoretical frameworks

Question 23

Central to Bandura's social learning theory is the concept of:

A)self-monitoring
B)a needs hierarchy
C)task-specific self-efficacy
D)continuous reinforcement

Question 24

The process of establishing desired results that guide and direct behavior is known as:

A)motivation
B)goal setting
C)outcome instrumentality
D)establishing input/output equity perceptions

Question 25

Which of the following is NOT considered to be one of the four sources of task-specific self-efficacy critical to the social learning theory of Albert Bandura?

A)prior experiences
B)witnessing the success of others
C)intelligence quotient
D)assessment of current physical and emotional capabilities

Question 26

As an outcome for exceptional performance, Jeffery was provided the opportunity to make a highly visible presentation to the board of directors.However, Jeffery was extremely nervous and upset about the presentation.This consequence was viewed by Jeffery as:

A)negative
B)positive
C)extinction
D)punishment

Question 27

One of your employees periodically fails to clean up his work area at the end of the work shift.Instead of issuing punishment or discipline, you decide to try an extinction approach to the situation.Accordingly, you might:

A)reassign the worker to a less desirable job
B)fire the worker
C)clean up the area yourself
D)ignore the program for a while

Question 28

The strongest way for an employee to develop self-efficacy is to:

A)develop a strong internal source of control
B)develop a high degree of self-monitoring
C)pick easier tasks in order to become more successful
D)succeed at a challenging task

Question 29

A comprehensive review of 114 studies on self-efficacy found that:

A)self-efficacy is positively and strongly associated with work performance when tasks are performed as part of a group
B)self-efficacy was only related to work performance when combined with social reinforcement
C)self-efficacy was positively and most strongly associated with work performance when tasks were relatively complex
D)self-efficacy was positively and most strongly associated with work performance when tasks were not too complex

Question 30

A non-response approach that weakens a behavior is known as:

A)punishment
B)negative reinforcement
C)intermittent reinforcement
D)extinction

Question 31

Assume you supervise a group of outside sales representatives.What reinforcement schedule will likely produce the highest level of sales performance?

A)continuous
B)variable ratio
C)fixed interval
D)variable interval

Question 32

The appropriate consequence for an employee who steals company property is:

A)no discipline
B)termination
C)intermittent discipline
D)fixed ratio reinforcement

Question 33

Jung's theory of personality differences has important implications for learning and subsequent behavior.Jung suggests that individuals have preferences for how they gather information.Which of the following is a key type of information gatherer according to Jung?

A)intuitor
B)feeler
C)thinker
D)introvert

Question 34

Outcome (or performance) feedback is greatly facilitated by:

A)qualitative goals
B)open-ended goals
C)quantitative goals
D)peer competitive goals

Question 35

An individual's beliefs and expectations about his or her ability to accomplish a specific task successfully is known as:

A)self-esteem
B)external locus of control
C)self monitoring behavior
D)task-specific self-efficacy

Question 36

If a random number of responses must be emitted before reinforcement occurs, it is a:

A)fixed interval schedule
B)fixed ratio schedule
C)variable interval schedule
D)variable ratio schedule

Question 37

Social learning theory is based on the belief that:

A)learning occurs because of behavioral consequences
B)learning occurs based on group norms
C)learning is strongly connected to need based drives
D)learning occurs through the observation of other people and the modeling of their behavior

Question 38

Howard Schultz, Starbucks' CEO, has recently stated a bold goal for the recycling of Starbucks' cups. Which of the following reflects that goal?

A)50% of cups being recycled by 2012
B)75% of cups being recycled by 2012
C)100% of cups being recycled by 2012
D)None of the above

Question 39

All of the following are generally considered to be good characteristics of work goals except:

A)specific
B)time-bound
C)measurable
D)moderately difficult

Question 40

Which of the following is NOT a major function served by goal setting?

A)It can increase work motivation and task performance.
B)It can reduce the role stress that is associated with conflicting or confusing expectations.
C)It can improve the accuracy and validity performance evaluation.
D)It can result in a restriction of focus that leads to a lack of creativity, spontaneity, and flexibility.

Question 41

All of the following are problems that contribute to the inaccuracy of performance appraisals Except:

A)deficiency
B)unreliability
C)invalidity
D)recording

Question 42

Performance feedback is more likely to lead to increased job performance when it is:

A)constructive and specific
B)provided in written form only
C)not recorded
D)one-way communication

Question 43

The first step in the performance measurement process is:

A)rewarding positive performance behaviors
B)measuring performance
C)defining performance in behavioral terms
D)assessing the impact of performance behaviors

Question 44

A supervisor who wants to reduce the stress associated with work within the goal-setting guidelines would:

A)tie rewards more closely to expected outcomes
B)clearly or specifically identify the goal(s)
C)clarify task-role expectations
D)develop or apply a personality test in order to better match the individual/task fit

Question 45

A key criticism of self-evaluations is:

A)the decrease in commitment to organizational goals
B)they have not been shown to lead to more satisfying and constructive evaluation interviews
C)they have a low level of agreement with supervisory evaluations
D)they have been shown to have no relationship to improving job performance

Question 46

FedEx has utilized multiple methods of performance appraisal.One of its more novel or nontraditional methods is:

A)supervisor ratings of employees
B)direct measures of performance (e. g., the number of boxes loaded per eight-hour shift)
C)employee evaluation of supervisors through a survey-feedback-action system
D)subjective peer ratings

Question 47

Performance appraisal is used for all of the following except:

A)evaluating employee work behavior
B)making promotion and other reward decisions
C)identifying employee developmental needs
D)selecting persons from a pool of job applicants

Question 48

The Science Feature of Chapter 6 reported the results of 2 studies examining the effect of accuracy in performance evaluations on subsequent task performance. Evaluations of performance were provided by both "self" and an "external" authority.Which of the following statements were supported by this research?

A)Overestimation of self performance resulted in higher subsequent task performance which was further enhanced by external evaluation.
B)Accurate self performance resulted in higher subsequent task performance which was further enhanced by external evaluation.
C)Overestimation of self performance resulted in reduced subsequent task performance which was further dampened by external evaluation.
D)Accurate self performance resulted in no change in subsequent task performance but external evaluation resulted in enhanced task performance.

Question 49

If two supervisors evaluated an employee's performance using the same set of rating scales but arrived at different conclusions or results, the evaluation instrument is:

A)invalid
B)biased
C)unreliable
D)sufficient

Question 50

The process of defining, measuring, appraising, providing feedback on, and improving performance is called:

A)MBO (Management by

Question 51

Management by objectives involves:

A)setting objectives for employees
B)formulating corporate strategy
C)superior control of subordinate behavior
D)interaction between a superior and an employee for setting employees' goals and later evaluating performance and progress toward goal accomplishment

Question 52

The evaluation of a medical doctor's performance on interpersonal skills to complement necessary technical diagnostic and treatment skills reflects which characteristic of performance?

A)the qualitative and quantitative dimensions of performance
B)the multidimensional nature of performance in most work settings
C)the importance of setting difficult but achievable goals
D)the need to be specific in setting goals

Question 53

An important intermediate step between goal acceptance and goal accomplishment is:

A)behavior/reward contingencies
B)goal clarity
C)goal commitment
D)goal specificity

Question 54

Starbucks' bold goal of recycling 100% of their cups by 2012 meets all of the following of the SMART criteria Except:

A)time-bound
B)realistic
C)measurable
D)specific

Question 55

Hyundai achieved the status of being the 6th largest automobile producer in the world by 2005 and a major competitor to GM, Ford, and Toyota. HMC's success has been attributed to their:

A)outstanding reward system
B)strong culture
C)aggressive goal setting
D)adherence to equity theory principles

Question 56

An important function of goal setting is:

A)reducing role stress associated with conflicting and/or confusing expectations
B)reducing the mental effort required in employee jobs
C)minimizing performance evaluations
D)simplifying supervision

Question 57

A prerequisite for successful goal-setting programs, such as management by objectives (MBO), is:

A)a relatively benign or stable environment
B)supervisory goal commitment
C)the connection between goals/outcomes/rewards
D)organizational commitment

Question 58

Management by objectives is a goal-setting and performance-planning program originated by:

A)Albert Bandura
B) b.
F)Skinner
C)J.Willard Marriott
D)Peter Drucker

Question 59

As a supervisor, you can enhance the performance of your employees by:

A)setting their goals
B)closely controlling their behavior
C)allowing employees to participate in goal setting
D)giving workers easy goals

Question 60

The major function(s) of performance appraisal include:

A)to provide feedback on performance
B)to identify developmental needs
C)to make promotion and reward decisions
D)all of these

Question 61

An effective performance appraisal system will contain or display all of the following except:

A)reliability
B)validity
C)self-correcting behavior
D)responsiveness

Question 62

Google's Larry Page (CEO) has recently strengthened the link between pay and performance through which of the following actions?

A)employee bonuses could increase or decrease by 25% depending upon Google's performance in chosen search engine
B)employee bonuses could increase or decrease by 25% depending upon performance in the social media arena
C)employee bonuses could increase or decrease by 15% depending on revenue growth
D)employee bonuses could double if the number of users doubles

Question 63

Which of the following is most correct regarding the meaning of entitlement and earning?

A)The concept of entitlement in not different from the meaning of earning.
B)Earning engenders passive, irresponsible behavior.
C)The power of entitlement to rewards rests on a direct link between performance and rewards.
D)Merit raises have come to be viewed as entitlements and this has resulted in a reduction of their positive value.

Question 64

Termination of an employee is corrective discipline.

Question 65

The strongest way for an employee to develop self-efficacy is to succeed at a challenging task.

Question 66

An informational cue indicating the degree to which a person behaves the same way in other situations is known as:

A)consistency
B)consensus
C)distinctiveness
D)inconsistency

Question 67

Reward allocation decisions involve:

A)sequential decisions about which outcomes will be rewarded
B)simultaneous decisions about which people to reward, how to reward them, and when to reward them
C)a process of considering individual perceptions regarding instrumentalities and whether reward levels will be perceived equitable
D)sequential decisions about which people to reward, how to reward them, and when to reward them

Question 68

Kelley proposed that individuals make attributions based on information gathered in the form of:

A)consensus, distinctiveness, and attractiveness
B)consensus, distinctiveness, and consistency
C)attractiveness, distinctiveness, and consistency
D)attractiveness, consensus, and consistency

Question 69

The developmental aspect of a performance appraisal is most commonly done through:

A)electronic performance monitoring
B)self-evaluation
C)coaching and counseling
D)empathetic listening

Question 70

The notion of entitlement at work is considered:

A)to engender active, responsible, adult behavior
B)to engender passive, irresponsible behavior
C)to be necessary for developing expectations for high performance and appropriate rewards
D)to define the consequence of rewarding high performance and developing achievement oriented behavior

Question 71

Minimal effort, lack of commitment, lack of motivation, and personal problems:

A)are external attributions for poor performance
B)are unresolveable and usually result in employee termination
C)are internal attributions for poor performance
D)can usually be solved with negative reinforcement

Question 72

Which of the following individual performance problems is most difficult to remedy?

A)failure to follow the correct steps of setting up and operating a machine
B)failure to meet a deadline because of schedule change
C)placement of an employee in a job for which she was not qualified
D)slow and below-standard output when the employee is qualified and capable but not adequately motivated

Question 73

The attempt to weaken a behavior by attaching no consequences to it is considered to be extinction.

Question 74

Assume you are the manager of a men's clothing department in a large department store.Thirteen sales associates report to you; all of them are experienced.Within the past week, two customers have complained about Ellen who is the sales associate in the tie and fragrance section.No other complaints have been received concerning other sales associates.Ellen had never received complaints when she worked in other sections.Ellen has worked in the tie and fragrance section only one other time and that was only for a few days.According to Kelley's informational cues, this is a:

A)low consensus situation
B)low distinctiveness situation
C)high consistency situation
D)combination of high consensus and high distinctiveness

Question 75

Classical conditioning is the process of modifying behavior through rewards and punishments.

Question 76

An important aspect of a mentoring relationship is:

A)disciplining the subordinate
B)coaching and counseling
C)peer feedback
D)formal training

Question 77

All of the following are characteristics of 360-degree feedback except:

A)It is a tactic to improve the accuracy of performance appraisals.
B)When combined with self-evaluations, there is a high level of agreement with supervisory evaluations.
C)It provides a well-rounded view of performance from superiors, peers, followers, and customers.
D)High levels of agreement may not necessarily be desirable if the intent of the 360-degree evaluation is to provide a full picture of an individual's performance.

Question 78

A three-day unpaid suspension for excessive tardiness is a negative reinforcement for an employee.

Question 79

Traditional organizational reward systems in the United States place value on:

A)entitlement
B)group performance
C)non-specific performance standards
D)individual performance

Question 80

The reliability of an effective performance appraisal system comes from:

A)insuring the appropriate dimensions of performance are appraised
B)insuring that the dimensions of performance that are measured are constructed in a valid way
C)insuring that evaluations from multiple sources and at different times are captured over the course of the evaluation period
D)insuring that when evaluations are conducted employees clearly understand what dimensions are being evaluated