Management: A Focus on Leaders, 2e (McKee)
Chapter 3 Motivation and Meaning
1) Research finds that motivation is entirely internal and does not depend on external forces.
2) Every leader casts a shadow that either encourages or inhibits people’s motivation to work.
3) A resonant environment is a workplace characterized by efficiency and orderliness.
4) The desire for social status is an intrinsic motivator.
5) In Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the need for personal safety comes before satisfying physical
needs such as hunger.
6) In Herzberg’s two-factor theory, job dissatisfaction can be affected by salary, but job
satisfaction cannot be affected by salary.
7) Individuals with high nAch (need for achievement) are often poor team players.
8) The coach of a football team is typically high in personalized power because he derives
satisfaction from the team winning.
9) The word Ubuntu reflects the idea that people need each other to get by.
10) Cognitive dissonance arises from the attempt to process conflicting ideas, attitudes, or
beliefs.
11) To avoid a negative work environment, managers need to be constantly on the lookout for
inequity in the workplace.
12) The valence in expectancy theory is how much a person believes that high performance will
lead to a desired outcome.
13) The SMART goal guidelines support “doing” goals.
14) Negative reinforcement occurs when an individual receives punishment for a given behavior.
15) The Bobo doll experiments showed that people are likely to replicate behaviors that they
observe.
16) A person who is confident that he or she can succeed in a job has high self-reinforcement.
17) The job characteristics model argues that people need certain qualities in their jobs in order
to be intrinsically motivated and satisfied with work.
18) Autonomy in a job helps a worker take ownership and responsibility for the work.
19) Most companies use strict merit-based plans that calculate compensation only on
performance.
20) Ultimately, you are responsible to motivate yourself in your job.
21) Motivation ________.
A) is the cause of a complex set of psychological influences and external forces
B) is identical to productivity
C) can be measured in the amount of effort one gives and persistence one has
D) has little connection to success or productivity
22) Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of being in “flow” when you are working?
A) You feel focused and in control.
B) You seem unaware of time passing.
C) You feel that you are performing at your best possible level.
D) You can picture the reward you will receive at all times.
23) Which of the following statements about meaningful work is TRUE?
A) Meaningful work must be challenging work.
B) Meaningful work must be work that is well-rewarded; typically with money.
C) Different people can have very different views of what meaningful work is.
D) All people agree that meaningful work must be creative and involve using one’s imagination.
24) Why do managers put more time into thinking about motivation than the people who work
for them?
A) Managers have more time than employees.
B) Part of a manager’s job is to motivate employees.
C) Part of an employee’s job is self-motivation.
D) Motivation comes more easily to employees than to managers.
25) Which of the following statements is TRUE about hope and motivation?
A) A sense of hope usually increases a person’s motivation.
B) Hope is the result of high motivation.
C) Hope has no relation to motivation.
D) It is impossible to instill hope in people, so leaders should not waste time trying to make
subordinates hopeful.
26) Intrinsic motivation ________.
A) includes some kinds of rewards such as personal satisfaction
B) does not include any kinds of rewards
C) does not include personal rewards such as a sense of satisfaction
D) includes increases in social status such as a job promotion
27) Extrinsic motivation frequently includes ________.
A) avoiding unpleasant consequences of events
B) autonomy, or a sense that a person is in control of his or her work environment
C) an opportunity to learn new skills
D) an opportunity to gain new knowledge
28) The approval of one’s peers is an ________.
A) intrinsic motivator because the sense of approval is an emotional feeling
B) intrinsic motivator because the sense of approval is not tangible
C) extrinsic motivator because the sense of approval is an emotional feeling
D) extrinsic motivator because the sense of approval comes from other people
29) People with a high internal locus of control are likely to be ________ because they feel that
they ________.
A) high achievers; can change their environment
B) low achievers; can’t change their environment
C) high achievers; can’t change their environment
D) low achievers; can change their environment
30) Which single Big Five personality dimension correlates with inspirational leadership?
A) openness to experience
B) conscientiousness
C) extraversion
D) emotional stability
31) Maslow’s hierarchy of needs states that after people fulfill a need ________.
A) it ceases to be a motivator
B) it continues to be a motivator
C) they lose all motivation
D) they move down to a lower-level need
32) Which statement reveals a flaw in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory?
A) Some needs are considered more important than others.
B) Physiological needs are considered more low-level than esteem.
C) People don’t seek to satisfy self-actualization needs until all other needs are met.
D) People don’t seek to satisfy personal esteem needs until self-actualization needs are met.
33) Which statement is NOT true about Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory?
A) Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory is not well supported by research.
B) Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory is well supported by research.
C) Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory is popular in academic courses.
D) Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory makes intuitive sense.
34) In Herzberg’s two-factor theory, ________.
A) hygiene factors determine job satisfaction
B) hygiene factors determine job dissatisfaction
C) motivating factors determine job dissatisfaction
D) both hygiene and motivating factors determine job satisfaction
35) In Herzberg’s two-factor theory, ________.
A) motivating factors determine job satisfaction
B) motivating factors determine job dissatisfaction
C) both hygiene and motivating factors determine job dissatisfaction
D) neither hygiene or motivating factors determine job satisfaction
36) In Herzberg’s two-factor theory, getting a raise in salary is likely to ________.
A) increase a worker’s job satisfaction
B) decrease a worker’s job satisfaction
C) increase a worker’s job dissatisfaction
D) decrease a worker’s job dissatisfaction
37) In Herzberg’s two-factor theory, ________.
A) hygiene factors are largely intrinsic motivators
B) motivating factors are largely extrinsic motivators
C) both hygiene and motivating factors are largely intrinsic motivators
D) motivating factors include both extrinsic and intrinsic motivators
38) In Herzberg’s two-factor theory, which of the following would best describe an internship
that is an excellent learning and networking opportunity, but is unpaid and includes poor
working conditions?
A) high hygiene, high motivator
B) high hygiene, low motivator
C) low hygiene, high motivator
D) low hygiene, low motivator
39) In McClelland’s three-needs theory, which of the following is a shortcoming of nAch, the
need for achievement?
A) A person with high nAch tends to become a micromanager.
B) A person with high nAch tends to avoid conflict.
C) The high ambition in a person with high nAch can be destructive.
D) A person with high nAch avoids giving critical feedback to subordinates.
40) In McClelland’s three-needs theory, which of the following is a shortcoming of nAff, the
need for affiliation?
A) A person with high nAff performs poorly in team situations.
B) A person with high nAff tends to avoid conflict.
C) The high ambition of a person with high nAff can be destructive.
D) A person with high nAff tends to become a micromanager.
41) In McClelland’s three-needs theory, which of the following is a shortcoming of nPow, the
need for power?
A) A person with high nPow tends to become a micromanager.
B) The high ambition in a person with high nPow can be destructive.
C) A person with high nPow tends to avoid conflict.
D) A person with high nPow avoids giving critical feedback to subordinates.
42) Which of the following is the best definition for Ubuntu?
A) Greed is good because it ends up improving your community.
B) Greed is good as long as you don’t hurt your community.
C) If you strive to help yourself, you will also help your community.
D) Make sure that all of your achievements are good for your community.
43) Which of the following best describes the TAT (Thematic Apperception Test)?
A) a highly precise measure of McClelland’s three needs
B) a highly precise measure of Maslow’s three needs
C) an imprecise, but interesting measure of McClelland’s three needs
D) an imprecise, but interesting measure of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
44) In equity theory a person is likely to be most unhappy when ________.
A) inputs exceed outcomes
B) outcomes exceed inputs
C) inputs equal outcomes
D) inputs fail to match outcomes
45) In equity theory, a referent for a given individual can be ________.
A) a fellow worker only
B) a fellow worker or a group
C) a fellow worker or the individual himself or herself
D) a fellow worker, a group, or the individual himself or herself
46) In equity theory, even if a worker’s impression that there is an unfair equity imbalance is
distorted or inaccurate, the worker is likely to ________.
A) ignore the imbalance
B) experience the imbalance as unfair nevertheless
C) work harder to correct the perceived imbalance
D) work less hard and voice strong objections
47) Cognitive dissonance occurs when two ideas conflict and ________.
A) both can’t be true at the same time
B) neither idea seems to be true
C) one idea is clearly right and the other is wrong
D) both ideas have some kind of flaw
48) One way that people typically try to resolve cognitive dissonance is by ________.
A) deciding that one of their perceptions must have been mistaken
B) deciding that both of their perceptions must have been mistaken
C) ignoring the issue completely
D) doing something unethical
49) Leaders who are capable of managing cognitive dissonance are more likely to ________.
A) sustain ethical leadership
B) engage in unethical leadership
C) lose many of their followers
D) be disrespected by their followers
50) Equity theory is especially relevant because many workers are ________ in today’s
workplace.
A) getting more outcomes with fewer inputs
B) asked to work at home
C) more autonomous
D) asked to work harder and longer
51) Managers should constantly be on the lookout for ________ to avoid discontent in the
workplace.
A) any kind of inequity, perceived or genuine
B) genuine inequity only
C) perceived inequity only
D) any kind of equity, perceived or genuine
52) To correct inequity, managers should use ________.
A) monetary compensation only
B) nonmonetary compensation, such as praise and recognition, only
C) whatever approach they have available
D) praise, but avoid recognition
53) In expectancy theory, valence is a measure of ________.
A) how much you value the reward
B) the extent to which a task is successfully completed
C) how well you are suited to handle the task
D) how likely you are to receive the reward if you complete the task
54) In expectancy theory, instrumentality is a measure of ________.
A) how much you value the reward
B) the extent to which a task is successfully completed
C) how well you are suited to handle the task
D) how likely you are to receive the reward if you complete the task
55) The primary focus of expectancy theory is ________.
A) fairness
B) outcomes
C) “doing”
D) “being”
56) In expectancy theory, a person who is independently wealthy is likely to have ________ for
a high-paying task that is tedious.
A) high valence
B) low valence
C) high instrumentality
D) low instrumentality
57) In goal-setting theory, which of the following statements is TRUE?
A) General goals are best because they allow the most flexibility.
B) Specific goals are best because they allow the most flexibility.
C) Specific goals are best because they clearly define what is to be done.
D) General goals are best because they clearly define what is to be done.
58) Which of the following is an example of an achievable, measurable goal in SMART goal
terminology?
A) lose 30 pounds in 2 weeks
B) double your muscle mass over 3 months
C) lose 10 pounds over 6 weeks
D) gain 20 pounds of muscle in 4 weeks
59) In goal-setting theory, ________.
A) “doing goals” are generally better than “being goals”
B) “doing goals” are generally not as good as “being goals”
C) “being goals” are generally more specific than “doing goals”
D) “being goals” are generally less vague than “doing goals”
60) In operant conditioning, which term is used to identify the removal of an unpleasant
stimulus?
A) positive reinforcement
B) negative reinforcement
C) extinction
D) punishment