Chapter 04 Individual Behavior and Differences, Organizations

True / False Questions 1. (p. 91) Attempting to learn why people behave as they do requires some understanding of individual differences. TRUE 

 

2. (p. 92) Once established, a person's behavior patterns are ingrained and never change. FALSE 

Rationale: An individual's behavior patterns do change, sometimes when managers would prefer that they remain stable. 

3. (p. 92) After the first few decades of the 21st century, even more people will be in the human resource pool than there are now. FALSE 

Rationale: With the passing of the "boomer" generation, fewer people will be in the human resource pool. 

4. (p. 93) An employee's behavior is a function of individual and environmental variables. TRUE 

 

5. (p. 93) The desired result of any employee's behavior is harmony in the workgroup. FALSE 

Rationale: The desired result is excellent performance. 

6. (p. 93) An important part of a manager's job is to define performance in advance. TRUE 

 

7. (p. 94) Abilities are task-related competencies, such as negotiating a merger. FALSE 

Rationale: Skills are task-related competencies. 

8. (p. 95) An ideal job is one in which a person's skills and abilities can be applied to produce work that is satisfactory, fulfilling and challenging. TRUE 

 

9. (p. 96) Among the most important demographic classifications are gender and age. FALSE 

Rationale: Among the most important demographic classifications are gender and race. 

10. (p. 96) Research has shown that women are slightly more gifted in terms of learning, memory, reasoning, creativity and intelligence. FALSE 

Rationale: Research has shown that men and women are equal in all these aspects. 

11. (p. 96) Some compelling data suggest that women are better job performers than are men. FALSE 

Rationale: There are no compelling data suggesting that men or women are better job performers. 

12. (p. 96) The ranks of management are just as diverse as the rest of the workforce. FALSE 

Rationale: Managers aren't yet as diverse as the rest of the workforce. 

13. (p. 98) To a large extent, people interpret the behavior of others in the context of the setting in which they find themselves. TRUE 

 

14. (p. 98) Perception means organizing stimuli from the environment so that it makes sense. TRUE 

 

15. (p. 100) Most people engage in some form of stereotyping, both of people and occupations. TRUE 

 

16. (p. 100) Persons who accept themselves are more likely to see favorable aspects of other people. TRUE 

 

17. (p. 101) People tend to focus more intently on information or cues that make them feel discomfort. FALSE 

Rationale: People tend to ignore information or cues that make them feel discomfort. 

18. (p. 101) The attitudes of the people a manager works with can influence his or her perceptual accuracy. TRUE 

 

19. (p. 101) Perceptions are significantly influenced by desires. TRUE 

 

20. (p. 101) As a rule, it is easy to determine a person's current emotional state. FALSE 

Rationale: Determining a person's emotional state is difficult. 

21. (p. 101) Observing behaviors and drawing conclusions is called making an assessment. FALSE 

Rationale: Observing behaviors and drawing conclusions is called making an attribution. 

22. (p. 101) A situational attribution emphasizes the environment's effect on emotions. FALSE 

Rationale: A situational attribution emphasizes the environment's effect on behavior. 

23. (p. 102) Individuals are more likely to explain others' actions in terms of internal causes rather than external causes. TRUE 

 

24. (p. 103) Most people tend to make negative evaluations of others. FALSE 

Rationale: Most people tend to make positive evaluations of others. 

25. (p. 103) Attitudes define our predispositions toward given aspects of the world. TRUE 

 

26. (p. 104) Young children's attitudes are usually the opposite of their parents'. FALSE 

Rationale: Young children's attitudes usually correspond to their parents'. 

27. (p. 105) Cognitive dissonance can help predict a person's propensity to change attitudes. TRUE 

 

28. (p. 105) Liking the manager is a condition for trusting the manager. TRUE 

 

29. (p. 105) One's surroundings have no effect on one's susceptibility to attitude changes. FALSE 

Rationale: People are more susceptible to attempts to change their attitude in pleasant surroundings. 

30. (p. 108) There is a clear link between satisfaction and job performance. FALSE 

Rationale: Most research studies find no clear link between satisfaction and performance. 

31. (p. 109) Managerial attempts to satisfy everyone don't yield high levels of production. TRUE 

 

32. (p. 111) Some evidence shows a relationship between satisfaction and union activity. TRUE 

 

33. (p. 111) Job satisfaction has a direct impact on quantity and quality of performance. FALSE 

Rationale: Job satisfaction doesn't influence quantity and quality of performance, although it does influence citizenship behaviors, turnover, absenteeism and preferences and opinions about unions. 

34. (p. 111) The largest percentage of businesses in the United States are technology related. FALSE 

Rationale: The largest percentage of businesses in the United States are service related. 

35. (p. 111) Dealing with dissatisfied customers can increase employee job dissatisfaction. TRUE 

 

36. (p. 112) Personality is influence by hereditary, cultural and social factors. TRUE 

 

37. (p. 112) Personality is an unimportant factor in workplace behavior because it is formed outside the organization. FALSE 

Rationale: No manager should conclude that personality is an unimportant factor in workplace behavior. 

38. (p. 112) An employee's behavior can be understood without considering the concept of personality. TRUE 

 

39. (p. 113) Traits produce consistencies in behavior because they're enduring attributes. TRUE 

 

40. (p. 113) Trait approaches have been very successful in predicting behavior across a broad spectrum of situations. FALSE 

Rationale: Trait approaches have not been successful in predicting behavior across a broad spectrum of situations. 

41. (p. 113) The dynamic nature of personality wasn't addressed seriously until Sigmond Freud's work was published. TRUE 

 

42. (p. 114) Self-actualization is the constant striving to realize one's inherent potential. TRUE 

 

43. (p. 115) A behavioral measure of personality involves observing the person in a particular situation, as when asked to solve a specific work problem. TRUE 

 

44. (p. 117) Research suggests that internals are less resistant to pressure to conform. FALSE 

Rationale: Research suggests that internals are more resistant to pressure to conform. 

45. (p. 117) A person who is high in self-efficacy is more motivated to perform at high levels of achievement. TRUE 

 

46. (p. 117) The shortage of successful role models among minorities could create self-doubt about their ability to advance their careers. TRUE 

 

47. (p. 119) Few organizations feel that creativity and innovativeness are necessary competencies in today's workforce. FALSE 

Rationale: Many organizations feel that creativity and innovativeness should be core competencies. 

48. (p. 120) The idea that an inexperienced person can look at a problem and immediately be creative is a myth. TRUE 

 

49. (p. 123) Reneging on a specific promise to provide a promotion for excellent performance is an example of a transitional contract violation. FALSE 

Rationale: Reneging on a specific promise to provide a promotion for excellent performance is an example of a psychological contract violation.  

Multiple Choice Questions 50. (p. 93) Individual behavior is affected by one's ____________________. A. Abilities/skillsB. PersonalityC. PerceptionsD. All of the choices are correct 

 

51. (p. 93) To understand individual differences, managers must do all of the following except: A. Observe and recognize the differencesB. Document behavioral anomaliesC. Study variables that influence individual behaviorD. Discover relationships among the variables 

 

52. (p. 93) Managers are better able to make optimal decisions about organizational behavior if they understand employees' attitudes, perceptions and ____________________. A. Mental abilitiesB. Past historyC. Religious preferencesD. Physical attributes 

 

53. (p. 93) Being able to observe differences, understand relationships and predict ____________________ facilitates managerial attempts to improve performance. A. ResponsesB. BehaviorC. LinkagesD. Performance 

 

54. (p. 93) After years of theory building and research, it's generally agreed that all of the following statements are true except: A. Behavior is causedB. Behavior is not measurableC. Behavior is motivatedD. Behavior that is not directly observable is also important in accomplishing goals 

 

55. (p. 93) Any behavior that can be observed is ____________________. A. MeasurableB. UndesirableC. CalculatedD. Efficient 

 

56. (p. 94) Managers attempt to match each person's abilities and skills with ____________________. A. Compatible customersB. Coworkers' abilities and skillsC. The job requirementsD. All of the choices are correct 

 

57. (p. 94) A biological or learned trait that permits a person to do something mental or physical is called ____________________. A. An abilityB. A talentC. A callingD. A skill 

 

58. (p. 94) Every job is made up of two things: people and ____________________. A. ToolsB. TasksC. CostsD. Raw materials 

 

59. (p. 96) Men and women are becoming ____________________ in terms of workplace behavior. A. Less alikeB. More alikeC. More competitiveD. Less competitive 

 

60. (p. 96) Diversity is a term used to describe the cultural, ethnic and ____________________ variations in a population. A. AgeB. GenderC. RacialD. Geographic 

 

61. (p. 98) Organizing the information from the environment so that it makes sense is called ____________________. A. EvaluationB. PerceptionC. SensitivityD. Distillation 

 

62. (p. 100) People frequently use ____________________ as benchmarks in perceiving others. A. ThemselvesB. Their managersC. Their role modelsD. Coworkers 

 

63. (p. 101-102) In attempting to decide whether a behavior should be attributed to the person or to the situation, Kelley proposed all of the following criteria except: A. ConsensusB. DistinctivenessC. ConsistencyD. Intensity 

 

64. (p. 103) Having a tendency to take credit for successful work and deny responsibility for poor work is called ____________________ bias. A. A negativeB. A self-servingC. An opportunisticD. A situational 

 

65. (p. 103) The ____________________ component of an attitude consists of a person's perceptions, opinions and beliefs. A. AffectB. BehavioralC. CognitiveD. None of the choices are correct 

 

66. (p. 104) The ____________________ component of an attitude refers to a person's intention to act toward someone or something in a certain way. A. AffectB. BehavioralC. CognitionD. All of the choices are correct 

 

67. (p. 104) A person's intention to react toward someone or something in a certain way (friendly, warm, hostile) is a(n) ____________________ component of an attitude. A. AffectB. CognitiveC. BehavioralD. Relational 

 

68. (p. 104) Previous experiences account for some individual differences in attitudes toward ____________________. A. PerformanceB. LoyaltyC. CommitmentD. All of the choices are correct 

 

69. (p. 104) The term ____________________ describes a situation where there's a discrepancy between the cognitive and behavioral components of an attitude. A. Cognitive discordB. Discrepancy recognitionC. Cognitive dissonanceD. Mental anxiety 

 

70. (p. 111) Satisfied employees ____________________ customer satisfaction and loyalty. A. IncreaseB. DecreaseC. Have no effect on 

 

71. (p. 113) All of the following are theoretical approaches to understanding personality except: A. Educational approachB. Trait approachC. Psychodynamic approachD. Humanistic approach 

 

72. (p. 114) Covering up weakness by emphasizing desirable traits or making up for frustration in one area by over-gratification in another is the ____________________ mechanism. A. Denial of realityB. CompensationC. IdentificationD. Rationalization 

 

73. (p. 114) Protecting self from unpleasant reality by refusing to perceive it is the ____________________ mechanism. A. Denial of realityB. CompensationC. IdentificationD. Rationalization 

 

74. (p. 114) ____________________ provide a catalog that describes the individual. A. Humanist theoriesB. Psychodynamic theoriesC. Trait theories 

 

75. (p. 114) Managers in organizations aren't enthusiastic about using the Myers-Briggs Personality Inventory because it's too ____________________. A. Time consumingB. ExpensiveC. Psychologically orientedD. Prone to errors 

 

76. (p. 115) Projective tests have people respond to all of the following except: A. A pictureB. An inkblotC. MusicD. A story 

 

77. (p. 116) The ____________________ personality dimension indicates the degree to which a person is sociable, gregarious and assertive versus reserved, quiet and timid. A. ConscientiousnessB. AgreeablenessC. Extraversion-introversionD. Emotional stability 

 

78. (p. 116) The ____________________ personality dimension indicates that a person is creative, curious and artistically sensitive, as opposed to being close-minded. A. Openness to experienceB. ConscientiousnessC. Extraversion-introversionD. Emotional stability 

 

79. (p. 117) Self-efficacy consists of all the following dimensions except: A. MagnitudeB. StrengthC. GeneralityD. Morality 

 

80. (p. 120) Emotions are the result of ____________________ an object. A. A reaction toB. Exposure toC. A connection withD. The evaluation of 

 

81. (p. 122) A(n) ____________________ contract is based on specific obligations and short time frames. A. EmergingB. PsychologicalC. TransitionalD. Temporary 

Fill in the Blank Questions 82. (p. 92) The variables that influence individual behavior include abilities, skills, background and ____________________. demographics 

 

83. (p. 103) An ____________________ is a positive or negative feeling or mental state of readiness, learned and organized through experience, that exerts specific influence on a person's response to people, objects and situations. attitude 

 

84. (p. 113) ____________________ are inferred predispositions that direct the behavior of an individual in consistent and characteristic ways. Traits 

 

85. (p. 113) Sigmund Freud proposed three parts to personality: the id, the ego and the ____________________. superego 

 

86. (p. 116) Rotter called people who believe that they are in control of their lives and that they bear personal responsibility for what happens to them ____________________. internals 

 

87. (p. 121) A ____________________ contract is an implied understanding of mutual contributions between a person and his or her organization. psychological 

 

88. (p. 122) A ____________________ contract is based on specific obligations and short time frames. transitional 

Short Answer Questions 89. (p. 96) Women have a higher rate of absenteeism. Why? Women have a higher rate of absenteeism because they are usually the caregivers to children, husbands and elderly parents. 

 

90. (p. 98) Individuals use five senses to experience the environment. What are they? Sight, touch, hearing, taste and smell. 

 

91. (p. 98) The process of perception involves three steps. What are they? (1) Receiving stimuli. (2) Organizing stimuli. (3) Translating or interpreting the organized stimuli. 

 

92. (p. 100) Stereotypes tend to be self-perpetuating. Why? Stereotypes are self-perpetuating because people tend to notice things that fit their stereotype and not notice things that don't. 

93. (p. 101) What do dispositional attributions emphasize? Dispositional attributions emphasize some aspect of the individual, such as ability, skill or internal motivation. 

 

94. (p. 105) Although many variables affect attitude change, they can all be described in terms of three general factors. The first is trust in the sender. What are the other two? The message itself and the situation. 

 

95. (p. 105) Attitudes that have been expressed publicly are more difficult to change. Why? Because the person has shown commitment and changing is admitting to a mistake. 

 

96. (p. 105) People who are distracted while they listen to a message show more attitude change than those who are not distracted. Why? Because the distraction interferes with silent counter arguing. 

 

97. (p. 114) Personality tests measure four things. What are they? Emotional, motivational, interpersonal and attitudinal characteristics. 

Essay Questions 98. (p. 100) What is a stereotype? A stereotype is an over-generalized, over-simplified and self-perpetuating belief about people's personal characteristics. 

 

99. (p. 102) What is the difference between an attributional bias and making a fundamental attribution error? An attributional bias is making a judgment with only limited information about the person or situation. A fundamental attribution error means to explain behavior in terms of traits, rather than a management style, system or situation, because it is easier to do. 

 

100. (p. 106) Although numerous dimensions have been associated with job satisfaction, five in particular have crucial characteristics. List and explain them. Pay: The amount received and the perceived equity.Job: The extent to which job tasks are considered interesting and provide opportunities for learning and accepting responsibility.Promotion opportunities: The availability of opportunities for advancement.Supervisor: The supervisor's ability to demonstrate interest in and concern about, employees.Coworkers: The extent to which coworkers are friendly, competent and supportive. 

101. (p. 113) Explain the differences between the id, the superego and the ego. The id is the primitive, unconscious part of the personality. It is the storehouse of fundamental drives. The superego is the storehouse of an individual's values, including moral attitudes shaped by society. The superego corresponds roughly to conscience and is often in conflict with the id. The id wants to do what feels good, while the superego insists on doing what's "right." The ego acts as the arbitrator of the conflict. It represents the person's picture of physical and social reality, of what leads to what and of which things are possible in the perceived world. 

 

102. (p. 116) Describe the drawback of each of these personality tests: (a) self-report tests, (b) projective tests, (c) behavioral measures. (a) Self-report tests have an accuracy problem(b) Projective tests require a subjective interpretation by a trained person(c) Behavioral measures rely on only a small sample of a person's behavior 

103. (p. 120) There are five ways that organizations can help develop creativity. List the ways and explain what is involved with each. Buffering: Managers look for ways to absorb the risks of creative decisions made by their employees.Organizational time-outs: Give people time off to work on a problem and allow them to think things through.Intuition: Give half-baked or unsophisticated ideas a chance.Innovative attitudes: Encourage everyone to think of ways to solve problems.Innovative organizational structures: Let employees see and interact with many managers and mentors. 

Matching Questions 

104. (p. 95) Match the mental ability to the correct description. 

1. Fluency     Knowledge of words and their meaning, as well as the

application of this knowledge.  4

2. Span memory     The ability to produce words, ideas and verbal

expressions.  13. Deductive reasoning

     The ability to reason from stated premises to their necessary conclusion.  3

4. Verbal comprehension      The ability to remember bits of unrelated material.  55. Associative memory

     The ability to recall perfectly a series of items after only one presentation of the series.  2