Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 5e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
Chapter 11: Managing Conflict
Test Bank
Multiple Choice
1. Successful leaders are able to ask themselves, “How can we ______ conflict and
produce ______ change?”
a. avoid; minimal
b. control; minimal
c. learn from; notable
d. manage; positive
2. Moral struggles are an example of which type of conflict?
a. Intrapersonal
b. Societal
c. Interpersonal
d. Physical
3. Relying on others is an example of which characteristic of conflict?
a. Struggle
b. Interdependence
c. Feelings
d. Differences
Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 5e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
4. A manager says to a subordinate, “Please wear your name tag when you’re on the
clock.” Analyzing which dimension of communication can yield different interpretations?
a. Feelings dimension
b. Content dimension
c. Relationship dimension
d. Differences dimension
5. Content conflicts involve struggles between individuals who differ on issues such as
what?
a. Policies
b. Procedures
c. Rules
d. All of these
6. Conflict between the top 1% of the wealthiest and blue-collar workers would be an
example of what type of conflict?
a. Intrapersonal
b. Interpersonal
c. Societal
d. Physical
7. Which of the following best exemplifies a conflict of values and beliefs?
a. Small business owners angry over large retail stores moving into their mall
b. Cubs and Cardinals fans fighting in the parking lot after a baseball game
Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 5e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
c. Doctors disagreeing on the diagnosis of a patient
d. ISIS waging war with the Western world
8. What is the difference between values and beliefs?
a. Values have to do with religion and beliefs do not.
b. There is no difference. They are literally the same thing.
c. Beliefs can be ranked and values cannot.
d. Beliefs are concepts we hold to be true and values are ideas that are important to us.
9. What are the two types of conflict that occur regarding group goals?
a. Communication and conflict resolution
b. Cohesion and unity
c. Procedural and substantive
d. Subjective and objective
10. Kevin and Matt are conducting study abroad interviews for students but disagree on
how to long to interview, which questions to ask, and in what order to ask questions.
Which type of conflict are they experiencing?
a. Different values and beliefs
b. Procedural conflict
c. Substantive conflict
d. Relationship conflict
Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 5e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
11. Which would be an example of a substantive conflict?
a. Two students debating which order to present their information to the class
b. The president of Canada legalizing an open border policy
c. Middle East countries arguing over the use of Sharia Law
d. A married couple deciding on which route to take for their road trip
12. Two people having disagreements because of a personality clash is which type of
conflict?
a. Relational
b. Procedural
c. Substantive
d. Goal
13. Wendy uses a different, condescending tone to talk to certain employees. What is
the most likely type of conflict she has with them?
a. Substantive
b. Procedural
c. Values
d. Relational
Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 5e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
14. In order to ensure a minimal amount of relational conflict, how should Greg treat his
coworkers?
a. Arrive earlier than them
b. Treat and talk to them all the same
c. Discuss overall goals of the organization at a staff meeting
d. Learn each of their parent’s names
15. Relational conflicts are usually related to differences in ______.
a. esteem
b. control
c. affiliation
d. all of these
16. Which issue, referring to relational conflict, involves wanting to feel equal or worthy
of the respect of others?
a. Esteem
b. Control
c. Affiliation
d. Equity
17. Which is NOT an example of conflicts related to issues of esteem?
a. An assistant having issues with an administrator because the administrator neglects
the specific contributions to the organization the assistant adds
b. Older employees becoming upset when new coworkers do not give them respect of
their wisdom from years of experience
Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 5e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
c. Younger employees failing to get recognition for their innovative solutions to recurring
problems
d. A daughter being upset with her parents because they will not help pay for her tuition
despite having enough in their savings account to do so
18. Erica, a student, makes sure to pay off her credit card bills, is proactive about
making her class schedule each semester, and has many friends that share individual
interests with her. All of this helps minimize which issue of relational conflict?
a. Esteem
b. Control
c. Affiliation
d. Equity
19. Joining a fraternity or sorority is one example of how to receive [resolve?] which
issue of relational conflict?
a. Esteem
b. Control
c. Affiliation
d. Equity
20. When managing conflict, what is inherently increaseds due to channels of
communication remaining open with others?
a. Understanding
b. Control
c. Esteem
d. Affiliation
Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 5e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
21. Which method for negotiation emphasizes deciding issues on their merits instead of
haggling?
a. Bartering
b. Principled negotiation
c. Differentiation
d. Fractionation
22. Which of the following is the best example of separating the people from the
problem?
a. A couple decides to text each other about their relationship problems instead of
calling each other.
b. A father and son flip a coin to see which one of them gets to keep a foul ball as a
souvenir from a baseball game.
c. A student and teacher focus on the question wording during a test review instead of
how the material was presented.
d. A supervisor and subordinate discuss their relationship history when talking about a
potential raise in the subordinate’s pay.
23. At its core, why should separating people from the problem help manage conflict?
a. People are not capable of looking at problems without relating them to past
experiences.
b. People and problems do not need to be separated because that is unrealistic and will
only lead to additional problems.
c. Doing so allows people to work together to overcome objective relationships and
focus on the problem.
d. Doing so allows people to work together to overcome subjective relationships and
focus on the problem.
Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 5e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
24. What is the second principle of principled negotiation?
a. Invent options for mutual gains
b. Insist on using objective criteria
c. Focus on interests, not positions
d. Separate the people from the problem
25. What refers to the relevant needs and values of the people involved in a conflict?
a. Positions
b. Interests
c. Beliefs
d. Options
26. After discussion, a professor decides to allow students to have their highest test
grade count twice instead of having to take a final. Which principle of negotiation is on
display?
a. Separate the people from the problem
b. Focus on interests, not positions
c. Invent options for mutual gains
d. Insist on using objective criteria
Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 5e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
27. What would be the most useful perspective to look at to help focus on interests, not
positions in a principled negotiation?
a. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
b. Theory X and Theory Y
c. Piaget’s theory of cognitive development
d. John Locke’s theory of value and property
28. Michael is facilitating an office issue between Angela and Oscar. Michael strives to
find the option that is a win-win for everyone involved. Which principle of negotiation is
Michael focusing on?
a. Separate the people from the problem
b. Focus on interests, not positions
c. Invent options for mutual gains
d. Insist on using objective criteria
29. Why do Fisher and Ury insist on using objective criteria?
a. Objective criteria is not needed; subjective criteria should be used instead.
b. Using objective criteria is more efficient and will save both parties time.
c. The goal in a negotiation is to reach a solution based on principle and not on
pressure.
d. It provides a fair playing field for each member involved in the conflict.
30. What is differentiation?
a. Using objective criteria to efficiently facilitate conflicts in a timely manner
b. A process that helps participants define the nature of the conflict and clarify their
positions with regard to each other
c. The technique of breaking down large conflicts into smaller, more manageable pieces
Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 5e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
d. Communicative attempt to establish or maintain one’s self-image in response to a
threat
31. Which of the following is an example of differentiation?
a. John and Nora each take time to learn each other’s history of haggling before
negotiating a contract.
b. Rebecca and Eduardo break down their issues of a contract from 3 major points into
10 smaller, minor points.
c. Sally and Phillip tell each other they make good points but still feel differently
regarding which is the best Batman movie.
d. Group members working on a project discuss why they are having conflict issues
because of outside priorities.
32. When does the fractionation technique usually occur in the conflict resolution
process?
a. Early
b. In the middle
c. Late
d. After the end as an assessment tool
33. William and Henry decide to break down their contract disputes from 3 major issues
to 9 more manageable, smaller issues. This is an example of which conflict resolution
technique?
a. Principled negotiation
b. Differentiation
c. Fractionation
d. Face-Saving
Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 5e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
34. How does fractionation facilitate a better working relationship between participants?
a. It speeds up the process thus creating happiness for the participants by having more
free time to spend on their interests.
b. It simplifies and specifies the issues at hand.
c. It allows all participants to spread their blame onto others and maintain a positive
image.
d. It uses objective criteria making it easier to decide on a clear winner.
35. What is face saving?
a. Attempts to establish or maintain one’s self image in response to threat
b. Breaking down large, complex issues into smaller, more manageable issues
c. Physically showing up to undesired meetings of co-workers to show support of others
d. Taking on the blame of a group onto a single individual
36. What is a patterned response or behavior that people use when approaching
conflict?
a. Conflict resolution
b. Conflict definition
c. Conflict style
d. Conflict interpretation
37. Which is NOT a style of approaching conflict?