Northouse, Leadership 8e
SAGE Publications, 2019
Test Bank
Chapter 6: Path-Goal Theory
Multiple Choice
1. Path-goal theory could be best described as a ______.
A. great person theory
B. transformational theory
C. motivational theory
D. behavioral theory
2. Using the path-goal approach, expectancy theory suggests that ______.
A. leaders’ needs and followers’ needs overlap
B. followers are motivated if they think completing a task will result in a valuable payoff
C. a leader should try to help followers reach their fullest potential
D. followers are motivated regardless of ability
3. In path-goal theory, the three main components are ______.
A. leader style, follower characteristics, and work setting
B. supportive leadership, directive leadership, and participative leadership
C. follower characteristics, task characteristics, and supportive leadership
D. leadership, followers, and task
4. The researcher who consistently studied path-goal theory from the 1970s to 1990s is
______.
A. Bass
B. Hersey
C. Vroom
D. House
Northouse, Leadership 8e
SAGE Publications, 2019
5. Path–goal theory is similar to the situational approach in that ______.
A. path–goal does not suggest leaders should be flexible
B. path–goal does not take followers into consideration
C. path–goal requires leaders to adapt to followers’ needs
D. path–goal and situational both take the work setting into account
6. Motivation in path-goal theory is conceptualized using ______.
A. psychodynamic theory
B. great man theory
C. expectancy theory
D. leader–member exchange theory
7. Leadership generates motivation by ______.
A. adjusting style to commitment of followers
B. setting high expectations
C. using only directive behaviors
D. clarifying the path to goal accomplishment
8. Leaders adjust their behaviors based on ______.
A. follower characteristics and work-setting characteristics
B. follower characteristics and follower productivity
C. follower characteristics and leader characteristics
D. follower characteristics and team prototype
9. Expectancy theory is about ______.
A. clearing the path for followers
B. rewarding followers for meeting their goals
C. establishing work group norms
D. anticipating leaders’ needs
10. The path–goal leader adjusts to the characteristics of the follower and ______.
A. the characteristics of the work setting
B. the characteristics of the team members
C. the prototype of the in-group members
D. the skills of the followers
11. If an employee is uncertain that her efforts will pay off, then path–goal theory
suggests ______.
A. the employee should move to the company’s out-group
B. the leader should prove that the employee’s effort will be rewarded
C. additional obstacles should be introduced to challenge the employee
D. the employee is on the wrong path
12. The underlying assumption of expectancy theory is that followers will be motivated if
______.
A. they believe their leaders are capable
B. they believe their leaders are motivated
C. they believe they are doing the right thing
D. they believe their efforts will result in a certain outcome
13. Expectancy theory, when applied in path–goal leadership says ______.
A. leaders need to find the right reward to motivate followers
B. make the same rewards available to all followers
C. leaders should show motivation in multiple ways
D. followers are expected to motivate other followers
14. Which researcher(s) focused on how leaders motivate followers to accomplish
designated goals?
A. Kotter
B. Fisher
C. Hersey and Blanchard
D. House
15. Which researcher(s) conceptualized motivation from the perspective of the
expectancy theory of motivation?
A. Kotter and Bennis
B. Vroom
C. Hersey and Blanchard
D. House
16. Which two path–goal leader behaviors are also leader behaviors in the situational
approach?
A. participative and directive
B. supportive and authoritative
C. supportive and directive
D. achievement-oriented and directive
17. Which of the following leadership theories expects the leader to continually be
concerned about subordinate motivation?
A. situational leadership theory
B. contingency theory
C. path-goal theory
D. leader–member exchange theory
18. Path–goal theory is about how leaders ______ subordinates to accomplish
designated ______.
A. assign; tasks
B. allow; goals
C. motivate; goals
D. influence; tasks
19. The directive leadership behavior in path-goal theory is similar to ______.
A. delegating in the SLII model
B. initiating structure in the Ohio State studies
C. consideration in the University of Michigan studies
D. employee orientation in the University of Michigan studies
20. It is accurate to say that directive leadership ______.
A. attempts to make work challenging
B. provides performance standards
C. invites shared decision making
D. is feedback oriented
21. Your supervisor gives you a new project. You are informed that you have exactly 1
week to complete it and are handed an outline of what the final project should resemble.
According to path–goal theory, which behavior best describes your supervisor?
A. supportive
B. directive
C. participative
D. achievement oriented
22. Each week your supervisor holds a meeting to which he invites you and all the other
employees to give feedback regarding current projects. According to path-goal theory,
which behavior best describes your supervisor?
A. supportive
B. directive
C. participative
D. achievement oriented
23. According to path–goal theory, leadership does all of the following except ______.
A. clarifies the path to reaching goals
B. defines the goals for the follower
C. provides support to the follower
D. introduces challenging obstacles
24. Challenging followers to perform work at the highest levels possible is an example
of which leadership behavior?
A. supportive
B. directive
Northouse, Leadership 8e
SAGE Publications, 2019
C. participative
D. achievement oriented
25. Followers who have strong needs for affiliation prefer which type of leadership
behavior?
A. supportive
B. directive
C. participative
D. achievement oriented
26. According to path–goal theory, as the followers’ perception of their own ability and
competence increases, the need for ______.
A. supportive leadership goes down
B. supportive leadership goes up
C. directive leadership goes up
D. directive leadership goes down
27. According to path–goal theory, directive leadership should be used when employees
______.
A. believe that outside circumstances control their lives
B. believe they are in charge of their lives
C. feel competent to complete their work
D. want to help make decisions
28. Path–goal theory suggests that leaders should respond to dogmatic/authoritarian
followers from a ______.
Northouse, Leadership 8e
SAGE Publications, 2019
A. directive style
B. supportive style
C. participative style
D. achievement style
29. Followers with an internal locus of control believe ______.
A. that leaders are in charge of events that occur in their lives
B. that fate and change are in charge of events that occur in their lives
C. that they are in charge of the events that occur in their lives
D. that the organization is in charge of the events that occur in their lives
30. House introduced new behaviors in his reformulated path-goal theory in 1996.
These include all of the following except ______.
A. inherent trait approach
B. group-oriented decision process
C. work facilitation
D. work-group representation and networking
31. In contexts where the group norms are weak or non–supportive, leadership assists
in building ______ and ______.
A. rules; clarification
B. cohesiveness; role responsibility
C. roles; responsibility
D. psychological structure; task clarity
32. Path–goal theory suggests that leaders should respond to autonomous group
members with unstructured tasks from a ______.
A. directive style
B. supportive style
C. participative style
D. achievement style
33. Tasks that are unclear and ambiguous call for leadership input that ______.
A. provides structure
B. provides support
C. removes obstacles
D. is achievement oriented
34. Path–goal theory suggests all of the following except ______.
A. that task and subordinate characteristics affect leadership effectiveness
B. that leaders should help subordinates around their difficulties by removing obstacles
C. that subordinates with an external locus of control should be directed
D. that leaders need confidence and articulateness
35. With path–goal theory incorporating so many different aspects of leadership within
its model, which of the following could be argued?
A. the practical use of the theory is not valid
B. it fails to determine the role of motivation
C. it allows the leader to have a wider range of options as leader
D. it is difficult to use the theory fully when trying to improve the leadership process
36. Path–goal theory does not clearly show how ______.
A. leader behaviors affect follower motivation levels
B. motivation is achieved by followers
C. whether or not leaders can adapt behaviors to different situations
D. the best context for supportive behaviors
37. Path–goal theory suggests that leaders should respond to followers who need
affiliation from a(n) ______.
A. achievement style
B. supportive style
C. directive style
D. participative style
38. Path–goal theory suggests that leaders should respond to followers who need clarity
and control from a(n) ______.
A. achievement style
B. supportive style
C. directive style
D. participative style
39. Path–goal theory suggests that leaders should respond to followers who need to
excel from a(n) ______.
A. achievement style
B. supportive style
C. directive style
D. participative style
40. Followers with external locus of control believe ______.
A. that fate is in charge of life’s events
B. that they are in charge of life’s events
C. that interactions with others control life’s events
D. that personal relationships control life’s events
41. Manuel has a good sense of who he is and is confident that what he does and how
he responds to situations will help him achieve his goals. Manuel has ______.
A. external locus of control
B. need for affiliation
C. internal locus of control
D. authoritarian disposition
42. Susan feels that others in her organization and in her personal life have more
influence over her and her career and life path. Susan has ______.
A. autonomous locus of control
B. need for affiliation
C. internal locus of control
D. external locus of control
43. The new behaviors House identified in his reformulated path-goal review in 1996
have the same essential premise as the original work which is ______.
A. to match leader behavior to follower competence and commitment
B. to describe task and relationship behaviors
C. to identify competencies of leaders
D. to give followers what is missing in their workplace
44. Leaders who invite their followers to share in the decision–making process are using
______.
A. directive behaviors
B. achievement behaviors
C. supportive behaviors
D. participative behaviors
45. Leaders who challenge their followers to perform their very best are using ______.
A. directive behaviors
B. achievement behaviors
C. supportive behaviors
D. participative behaviors
46. Leaders who are friendly and approachable are using ______.
A. directive behaviors
B. achievement behaviors
C. supportive behaviors
D. participative behaviors
47. Leaders who give followers instructions about task accomplishment are using
______.
A. directive behaviors
B. achievement behaviors
C. supportive behaviors
D. participative behaviors
48. Your supervisor expresses concern for your well-being when he learns of the
passing of your father. He is using ______.
A. directive behaviors
B. achievement behaviors
C. supportive behaviors
D. participative behaviors
49. Your supervisor is happy with your work and expresses confidence that you will
bring the project in ahead of time and under budget. She is using ______.
A. directive behaviors
B. achievement behaviors
C. supportive behaviors
D. participative behaviors
50. Path-goal theory is ______.
A. descriptive
B. prescriptive
C. leader centered
D. follower centered
51. I am doing a task I do not really understand and wish my leader would clear up my
confusion by telling me the first few steps. According to path-goal theory, which
leadership style would help me the most?
A. directive behaviors
B. achievement behaviors
C. supportive behaviors
D. participative behaviors