LO: 1.4: Identify the major behavioral science disciplines that contribute to OB.
Difficulty: Moderate
Quest. Category: Concept
63) Compare and contrast the fields of psychology, social psychology, and sociology.
Answer: All three fields deal with human behavior. 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.
LO: 1.4: Identify the major behavioral science disciplines that contribute to OB.
Difficulty: Moderate
Quest. Category: Synthesis
64) Which of the following is true regarding contingency variables?
A) They refer to situational factors that moderate the relationship between two or more variables.
B) They make simple, accurate, and sweeping generalizations about concepts in organizational behavior.
C) They indicate that everyone is motivated by money and financial perks.
D) They refer to scientific factors which are based on universal truths.
E) They remain constant irrespective of any change in the environment.
Answer: A
Explanation: Contingency variables refer to situational factors that moderate the relationship between two or more variables.
LO: 1.5: Demonstrate why few absolutes apply to OB.
Difficulty: Easy
Quest. Category: Concept
65) Raymond Mayer is conducting a study on discrimination against campaign activists based on gender. In his study, he noted that male executives who visited Indonesian villages to promote the use of renewable energy received a highly positive response. In contrast, women who visited the same villages received an antagonistic response. However, Mayer stated that his findings only applied to villages. In this study, the presence of a village is considered a ________ variable.
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. Humans are unpredictable in nature, and thus all organizational behavior studies must have contingency variables.
LO: 1.5: Demonstrate why few absolutes apply to OB.
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Difficulty: Moderate
Quest. Category: Application
66) ________ variables are variables that moderate the relationship between two or more 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. Humans are unpredictable in nature, and thus all organizational behavior studies must have contingency variables.
LO: 1.5: Demonstrate why few absolutes apply to OB.
Difficulty: Easy
Quest. Category: Concept
67) Human beings are simple in nature and, thus, simple, universal principles explain all kinds of organizational behavior.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Human beings are complex, and few, if any, simple and universal principles explain organizational behavior. Since human beings are not alike, the ability to make simple, accurate, and sweeping generalizations is limited.
LO: 1.5: Demonstrate why few absolutes apply to OB.
Difficulty: Easy
Quest. Category: Concept
68) Organizational behavior cannot offer reasonably accurate explanations of human behavior or make valid predictions.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Human beings are complex, and few, if any, simple and universal principles explain organizational behavior. Since human beings are not alike, the ability to make simple, accurate, and sweeping generalizations is limited. However, it does not mean that one cannot offer reasonably accurate explanations of human behavior or make valid predictions.
LO: 1.5: Demonstrate why few absolutes apply to OB.
Difficulty: Easy
Quest. Category: Concept
69) Why do only a few absolutes apply to organizational behavior?
Answer: Human beings are complex, and few, if any, simple and universal principles explain organizational behavior. Since we are not alike, our ability to make simple, accurate, and sweeping generalizations is limited. For instance, two people often act very differently in the same situation, and the same person's behavior changes in different situations. Not everyone is motivated by money, and people may behave differently at a religious service than they do at a party. That does not mean, of course, that we cannot offer reasonably accurate explanations of human behavior or make valid predictions. It does mean that OB concepts must reflect situational, or contingency, conditions.