Deck 2: Foundations of Individual Behavior

Question 1

Carlos is currently undergoing the hormonal procedure to transition from being a man to becoming a woman. He has requested that the office staff begin to call him by his chosen feminine name, Melissa. Several workers in the office refuse to use the new name, and others use an exaggerated pronunciation, dragging out the name in a long, high, intonation. What kind of discrimination is represented in this example?

A) mockery and insults
B) intimidation
C) sexual harassment
D) exclusion
E) discriminatory practices

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Age, race, gender, ethnicity, religion, and disability status are examples of ________.

A) deep-level diversity
B) stereotypes and assumptions
C) shared values and preferences
D) personality traits
E) surface-level diversity

Answer 2

E

Question 3

Which of the following is an example of a deep-level diversity difference that might cause challenges between these two co-workers?

A) Marina is from Puerto Rico. Amit's father is from India.
B) Marina is 25 years old. Amit is 50 years old.
C) Marina is shy and quiet. Amit is outgoing.
D) Marina runs marathons. Amit suffers from arthritis.
E) Marina is a woman. Amit is a man.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Based on the information given, which employee would you expect to have the lowest rate of avoidable absence?

A) All these employees would have about the same rate of avoidable absence.
B) Sally
C) Gina
D) Jonathan
E) Gina and Sally would probably have equally low rates

Question 5

Craig, Matt, and Diane worked for the same company since graduating college. Over careers of 25 years they achieved many successes, each becoming the executive director of his or her respective department, making them three of the highest paid employees in the company. Last month they were all laid off. No one else in the company was let go. What kind of discrimination is represented in this example?

A) mockery
B) insults
C) discriminatory practices
D) exclusion
E) incivility

Question 6

Which of the following is an effect of aging on the workforce?

A) Older workers are frail, resulting in less productivity.
B) Older workers have a higher rate of unavoidable absenteeism.
C) Older workers are more stable, resulting in less turnover.
D) Older workers are tired, resulting in low job satisfaction.
E) Older workers have a higher rate of avoidable absenteeism.

Question 7

Research shows that which of the following is likely to decrease as a worker grows older?

A) productivity
B) likelihood of quitting
C) absenteeism
D) vacation days taken
E) work ethic

Question 8

Which of the following is not a characteristic of surface-level diversity?

A) gender
B) race or ethnicity
C) disability needs
D) age
E) personality

Question 9

Which of the following is true concerning the relationship between age and job satisfaction?

A) Most studies have found a negative association between age and satisfaction.
B) Some studies have found a U-shaped relationship between age and satisfaction.
C) Satisfaction decreases among professionals as they age.
D) Satisfaction increases among nonprofessionals during middle age.
E) Satisfaction decreases among nonprofessionals after middle age.

Question 10

Exclusion and incivility are difficult forms of discrimination to root out because ________.

A) they are only inflicted by upper management
B) they are impossible to observe and may occur unintentionally
C) victims suffer less than victims of other types of discrimination
D) exclusion and incivility are not forms of unfair discrimination
E) management often disregards this type of discrimination

Question 11

The predominantly white, male managerial workforce has given way to a ________.

A) young, technologically savvy workforce
B) predominantly younger, male workforce
C) gender-balanced, multiethnic workforce
D) female-dominated managerial workforce
E) intellectually inferior workforce

Question 12

In a work environment, ________ refers to any characteristic that makes people different from one another.

A) biographical characteristics
B) deep-level diversity
C) workplace diversity
D) surface-level diversity
E) unfair discrimination

Question 13

Research shows that unfair discrimination can lead to serious consequences for employers, such as ________.

A) decreased profit margins
B) market lows
C) increased productivity
D) high turnover
E) reduced benefits

Question 14

Research supports which of the following statements about men and women in the workplace?

A) Men are more productive.
B) Women are more productive.
C) Men are the most receptive to socialization.
D) Women are less likely to resign.
E) Women have more absences.

Question 15

Which of the following is a reason why the aging of the workforce is a significant concern for HR managers today?

A) When older employees retire, their knowledge and skills are lost.
B) Retiring baby boomers need to take time from work to care for children.
C) Employers pay increased medical costs due to the increasingly younger workforce.
D) The turnover rate among older employees is costly for employers.
E) Older employees do not contribute to diversity in the workforce.

Question 16

Which of the following is not a biographical characteristic?

A) political affiliation
B) age
C) sex
D) tenure
E) race

Question 17

Based on the information given, which employee would be least likely to quit his or her job?

A) All these employees would have about the same likelihood of quitting.
B) Gina
C) Jonathan
D) Sally
E) Gina and Sally

Question 18

Which one of the following words is the best synonym for "surface-level diversity", as the term is used in organizational behavior?

A) personal values
B) personality traits
C) demographics
D) work-place preferences
E) ethnicity

Question 19

Which of the following is not a type of discrimination?

A) sexual harassment
B) interaction
C) intimidation
D) exclusion
E) mockery

Question 20

Which of the following is the most likely explanation for the higher absentee rate of women in the workplace?

A) Women tend to have more illnesses that keep them from work than do men.
B) Traditionally, women have had the responsibility of caring for home and family.
C) Women tend to be less satisfied with their jobs than men.
D) Women generally have jobs for which a temporary replacement can be hired.
E) Women tend to work in jobs that have less flexible schedules than men do.

Question 21

What Fortune 500 company offers domestic partner benefits for gay couples?

A) Wal-Mart
B) Alltel
C) Rubbermaid
D) Nestle
E) Heinz

Question 22

Which of the following statements concerning tenure is not true?

A) Recent evidence demonstrates a negative relationship between seniority and absenteeism.
B) Tenure does not appear to be a good predictor of employee productivity.
C) Tenure is a potent variable in explaining turnover.
D) Tenure and satisfaction are positively related.
E) The impact of tenure on job performance is often misconceived.

Question 23

Which of the following statements is true about the term "ability," as it is used in the field of organizational behavior?

A) It refers to an individual's willingness to perform various tasks.
B) It is a current assessment of what an individual can do.
C) It refers exclusively to intellectual skills.
D) It refers exclusively to physical skills.
E) It is a prediction of future aptitude based on current attitudes.

Question 24

Alex is a video game designer. He is designing a series of maps for a multiplayer strategy game. Which of the following intellectual abilities is he likely to use the most?

A) verbal comprehension
B) number aptitude
C) spatial visualization
D) inductive reasoning
E) perceptual speed

Question 25

Which of the following do employers need to take into consideration when dealing with transgender employees?

A) promotion
B) attire
C) group structure
D) bathroom use
E) technology

Question 26

Which of the following disabilities tend to be rated lowest for employability?

A) missing limbs
B) blindness
C) deafness
D) chronic back pain
E) mental illness

Question 27

Which of the following is a major problem in the use of ability tests for selection and promotion of personnel?

A) The tests favor ethnic and racial groups.
B) The tests fail to take into account the personality of the individual.
C) Some individuals with high intelligence are poor test takers.
D) Women enjoy an unfair advantage on these tests.
E) The tests may have an adverse impact on different racial and ethnic groups.

Question 28

Based on the information given, which employee would you expect to most desire the option to telecommute or arrange a more flexible work schedule?

A) All these employees would have the same desire for these options.
B) Jonathan
C) Sally
D) Gina
E) Gina and Sally

Question 29

Juan Carlos was recently promoted to lead sales, a position in which he assumes responsibility for more than 100 new clients. Which of the following intellectual abilities is he likely to use the most?

A) memory
B) number aptitude
C) spatial visualization
D) inductive reasoning
E) perceptual speed

Question 30

Eva works for a video game developer. She writes and edits the dialogues that are embedded in the games. Which of the following intellectual abilities is she likely to use the most?

A) verbal comprehension
B) number aptitude
C) spatial visualization
D) inductive reasoning
E) perceptual speed

Question 31

The time a person spends on a particular job defines the term ________.

A) seniority
B) stability
C) absenteeism
D) productivity
E) efficiency

Question 32

Which of the following defines the overall factor of intelligence, as suggested by the positive correlations among specific intellectual ability dimensions?

A) general mental ability
B) intelligence quotient tests
C) ability
D) cultural intelligence
E) perceptual speed

Question 33

Which of the following is not one of the racial categories used by the U.S. Bureau of the Census?

A) Anglo-Saxon European
B) Two or more races
C) Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
D) Black or African American
E) American Indian and Alaska Native

Question 34

Intelligence dimensions are ________ related, meaning if a person scores high on verbal comprehension, he or she is likely to score high on inductive reasoning.

A) negatively
B) not
C) spatially
D) positively
E) evenly

Question 35

What did the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) require employers to do?

A) comprise 2% of the workforce with disabled individuals
B) provide sensitivity training about disabled individuals
C) make the workplace accessible to disabled individuals
D) include mental illness in health insurance policies
E) allow lower performance expectations for disabled individuals

Question 36

Which of the following is not a dimension of intellectual ability?

A) number aptitude
B) perceptual speed
C) spatial visualization
D) memory
E) social aptitude

Question 37

Which one of the following words is the best synonym for "ability," as the term is used in organizational behavior?

A) motivation
B) capacity
C) experience
D) intellect
E) wisdom

Question 38

Studies indicate that which of the following tends to decrease with increased tenure?

A) job satisfaction
B) productivity
C) absenteeism
D) raises and promotion
E) efficiency

Question 39

According to recent research, nearly 4 out of 10 U.S. adults admits that he or she harbors negative feelings toward members of which religious community?

A) U.S. Jews
B) U.S. Muslims
C) Israeli Jews
D) Irish Catholics
E) U.S. Hindis

Question 40

Katherine Doughnavon is a pharmacist. She refuses to fill prescriptions for RU-486, the "morning after" abortion pill. Her behavior is most likely due to which of the following biographical characteristics?

A) race
B) age
C) sexual orientation
D) religion
E) gender

Question 41

Which of the following is not one of the nine basic physical abilities that researchers have identified as important for job performance?

A) stamina
B) dynamic flexibility
C) speed
D) body coordination
E) trunk strength

Question 42

The ability to exert muscular force repeatedly or continuously over time is called ________.

A) trunk strength
B) dynamic flexibility
C) explosive strength
D) dynamic strength
E) static strength

Question 43

Which of the following is not a strength factor as it relates to the nine basic physical abilities?

A) static strength
B) trunk strength
C) stamina
D) dynamic strength
E) explosive strength

Question 44

The ability to use logic and assess the implications of an argument describes which intellectual ability?

A) deductive reasoning
B) number aptitude
C) verbal comprehension
D) inductive reasoning
E) perceptual speed

Question 45

Management must determine the physical abilities needed for a job in order to ascertain ________.

A) the nature of the work
B) high employee performance
C) low employee performance
D) employees with trunk strength
E) high stamina levels

Question 46

Women and minorities have greater interest in employers that ________.

A) display a commitment to diversity in their recruiting materials
B) display advertisements that fail to depict a diverse workforce
C) hire employees with the same biographic characteristics
D) foster a neutral diversity climate in the organization
E) capitalize on their diverse workforce to make more money

Question 47

The ability to expend a maximum of energy in one or a series of explosive acts is called ________.

A) dynamic flexibility
B) trunk strength
C) explosive strength
D) dynamic strength
E) extent flexibility

Question 48

Members of which of the following groups are least likely to turn over in a job?

A) women in a predominantly male work group
B) non-Whites in a predominantly non-White work group
C) men in a predominantly female work group
D) non-Whites in a predominantly White work group
E) Whites in a predominantly non-White work group

Question 49

Over the past 50 years the earnings gap between Whites and other racial and ethnic groups has decreased significantly.

Question 50

The ability to coordinate the simultaneous actions of different parts of the body describes which physical ability?

A) dynamic flexibility
B) body coordination
C) balance
D) static strength
E) extent flexibility

Question 51

In what way do deep-level diversity factors affect advancement in a work place with an individualistic culture?

A) Employees with differences in personality to their peers are more likely to be promoted.
B) Employees with similarities in personality to their peers are more likely to be promoted.
C) Employees with similarities in personality to their supervisors are more likely to be promoted.
D) Employees with differences in personality to their supervisors are more likely to be promoted.
E) Deep-level diversity factors do not affect advancement in the work place.

Question 52

________ is when management is aware of and sensitive to the individual needs and difference of employees.

A) Unfair discrimination
B) General Mental Ability (GMA)
C) Cultural intelligence
D) Diversity management
E) Dynamic strength

Question 53

The ability to identify visual similarities and differences quickly and accurately describes which intellectual ability?

A) memory
B) number aptitude
C) spatial visualization
D) inductive reasoning
E) perceptual speed

Question 54

In what way do deep-level diversity factors affect advancement in a work place with a collectivistic culture?

A) Employees with differences in personality to their peers are more likely to be promoted.
B) Employees with similarities in personality to their peers are more likely to be promoted.
C) Employees with similarities in personality to their supervisors are more likely to be promoted.
D) Employees with differences in personality to their supervisors are more likely to be promoted.
E) Deep-level diversity factors do not affect advancement in the work place.

Question 55

The ability to continue maximum effort requiring prolonged effort over time is called ________.

A) stamina
B) dynamic strength
C) extent flexibility
D) balance
E) static strength

Question 56

The ability to move the trunk and back muscles as far as possible describes which physical ability?

A) dynamic flexibility
B) trunk strength
C) explosive strength
D) dynamic strength
E) extent flexibility

Question 57

Which of the following is not a recruiting method to enhance workforce diversity?

A) placing advertisements in publications geared toward specific demographic groups
B) recruiting at colleges, universities, and other institutions with significant numbers of under represented minorities
C) forming partnerships with associations like the Society for Women Engineers
D) establishing work policies that promote working in groups to complete projects
E) targeting messages to specific demographic groups under represented in the workforce

Question 58

Diversity management means an employer will have a more narrow pool of candidates from whom to choose when hiring.

Question 59

Sheila is a new hire at a retail organization. Her sales group is entirely male. Sheila is more likely to ________ than her male counterparts.

A) make more sales
B) stay on the job longer
C) be promoted quicker
D) find another job quicker
E) earn more money

Question 60

Which of the following is not a method to ensure a successful, diverse workforce?

A) valuing fairness and objectivity in the selection of employees
B) focusing on the productive potential of recruits
C) establishing a well-defined protocol for assessing applicants
D) focusing on the demographic characteristics of applicants
E) prioritizing non-discrimination policies in the organization

Question 61

In general, women and men desire the same work schedules.

Question 62

Age and turnover rates are directly related.

Question 63

Worker's productivity tends to decline with age.

Question 64

Personal characteristics that are objective and easily obtained from personnel records (such as age, sex, and length of tenure) are called biographical characteristics.

Question 65

Mandatory retirement has become an increasingly rare phenomenon in organizations.

Question 66

Age and avoidable absences are negatively related.

Question 67

Gloria, a sales representative, was told that when working in the field with customers she was required to wear skirts, preferable knee-length or shorter, or she would lose certain accounts. This is an example of a discriminatory policy.

Question 68

Biographical data is easier to acquire than information on employee motivation levels.

Question 69

The relationship between age and job performance is likely to be an issue of increasing importance during the next decade.

Question 70

In employment settings, individuals tend to favor colleagues of their own race in performance evaluations, promotion decisions, and pay raises.

Question 71

A person's age is an example of a biographical characteristic.

Question 72

Surface-level diversity is not easy to recognize and depends on getting to know a person.

Question 73

Collecting biographical data is typically a very difficult task in organizations.

Question 74

There is an ongoing shift in the diversification of the white male managerial workforce.

Question 75

Age and job satisfaction are related for professional workers.

Question 76

Mental ability tests used for selection, promotion, training, and similar personnel decisions may have a negative impact on racial and ethnic groups.

Question 77

Unfair discrimination is based on the assumption that everyone in a group is the same.

Question 78

There is no significant difference between the absenteeism rates of men and women.

Question 79

Recent American legislation makes it easier for a company to enforce mandatory retirement.

Question 80

Marcia and Antonio work well together on projects because they both enjoy an energetic work environment. This is an example of surface-level diversity working for an employer.