Essentials of Organizational Behavior 15th edition Published by Stephen P. Robbins test bank
Diff: 3
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Quest. Category: Synthesis
LO: 1.3 Identify the major behavioral science disciplines that contribute to OB.
50) How have the fields of psychology and sociology contributed to our understanding of organizational behavior?
Answer: Psychology seeks to measure, explain, and change the behavior of humans. Contributions have been made by learning theorists, personality theorists, counseling psychologists, and industrial and organizational psychologists. Contributions have been made in learning, perception, personality, emotions, training, leadership effectiveness, needs and motivational forces, job satisfaction, decision-making processes, performance appraisals, attitude measurement, employee-selection techniques, work design, and job stress. Sociology studies people in relation to their social environment or culture. The greatest contributions by sociologists have been in the study of group behavior in organizations, organizational culture, formal organization theory and structure, organizational technology, communications, power, and conflict.
Diff: 3
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Quest. Category: Concept
LO: 1.3 Identify the major behavioral science disciplines that contribute to OB.
51) Compare and contrast the fields of psychology, social psychology, and sociology.
Answer: These fields all deal with the human condition. While psychology focuses on the individual, sociology studies people in relation to their social environment or culture. Social psychology blends concepts from both psychology and sociology, though it is generally considered a branch of psychology. It focuses on people's influence on one another. Thus, it could be said that social psychology falls between the extremes of the individual focus of psychology and the large group focus of sociology.
Diff: 3
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Quest. Category: Synthesis
LO: 1.3 Identify the major behavioral science disciplines that contribute to OB.
52) Priya was a successful manager in a steel plant. The plant was focused on achieving increased productivity and Priya achieved her unit's productivity mandate by clearly structuring the tasks of her subordinates and holding them accountable to completing their tasks on time. While her subordinates complained about her rigidity, top management lauded her leadership style. Priya quit the steel plant when she got a better paying job at an e-commerce start up. When Priya imposed her rigid, task-oriented leadership style that was successful in the steel plant, her e-commerce subordinates rebelled and complained to top management. Many quit their jobs. Priya's predicament can be explained through ________.
A) sociology
B) big data
C) organizational behavior
D) contingency variables
E) interpersonal skills
Answer: D
Explanation: Leadership styles are contingent on the situation. Priya tried to impose her same leadership style when the conditions were different at the e-commerce start-up.
Diff: 2
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Quest. Category: Critical Thinking
LO: 1.4 Demonstrate why few absolutes apply to OB.
53) When we say x leads to y, but only under conditions specified in z, the z refers to ________.
A) scientific variables
B) contingency variables
C) control variables
D) laboratory variables
E) universal variables
Answer: B
Explanation: Contingency variables are situational factors or variables that moderate the relationship between two or more variables. For example, an OB study can say x leads to y, but only under conditions specified in z. Because humans are somewhat unpredictable, all OB studies must have contingency variables.
Diff: 2
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Quest. Category: Concept
LO: 1.4 Demonstrate why few absolutes apply to OB.
54) When an OB person says, "A job attractive to one person may be unattractive to another; its appeal depends on the person holding it," the second part of the sentence refers to ________ variables.
A) global
B) general
C) dependent
D) non-reactive
E) contingency
Answer: E
Explanation: Contingency variables are variables that moderate the relationship between two or more variables. For example, an OB study can say x leads to y, but only under conditions specified in z. Because humans are somewhat unpredictable, all OB studies must have contingency variables.
Diff: 2