Psych 360
Introduction to Organizational Psychology
Fall 1999
Lee, Boudens, Dixon, Myers, Worline
ANSWER KEY
30 MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS: 2 points each
1. Which of the following did NOT contribute to the crash of United 173 described in lecture?
A.Captain did not prioritize tasks appropriately
B.Cockpit crew was overly focused on gear malfunction
C.Frostie was not sufficiently assertive
DMilitary/hierarchical culture prohibited people from speaking out
E. Multi-cultural cockpit crew had language barriers
ANSWER: E
2. According to the text, what is "open systems model" of organizations?
A.The organization is receptive to new members
B.Organizations have interrelated parts that interact with each other and the external environment
C.A system that remains open until it faces threats or uncertain conditions
D.Interrelated parts process information and send it unilaterally into the external environment
E.A system where everything that goes in must come out
Answer: B
3. According to the Myers Briggs, Introversion/Extroversion refers to:
A.how people relate to their peers
B.how people get their energy
C.how much people can interact with others
D.how smart people are in relationships
E.how lonely people feel
ANSWER: B
4. Which one of the following does NOT pertain to Affirmative Action programs?
A.they are driven by moral and social responsibility concerns
B.they aim to get minority members "in the door"
C.legal sanctions may be levied against organizations which do not meet up to their commitments with respect to Affirmative Action
D.they are designed to assist minority members in advancing within organizations
E.they have been accused of causing "reverse discrimination"
Answer: D
5. According to the coursepack reading ("Give me an E. Give me an S."), which of the following is NOT a reason for the increased use of personality tests in organizations?
A.there is an increased focus on human factors as a key to the success of organizations
B.tests are becoming less expensive to buy and administer
C.psychologists are discovering new aspects of personality
D.changes in the corporate world, such as deregulation, have made it desirable to evaluate employees’ abilities to adapt to new roles through the use of personality tests
E.other sources of hiring information, such as intelligence tests and references have declined in usefulness
Answer: C
6. According to the lecture, homogeniety is likely to lead to:
A.Increased Conflict
B.Increased Consensus
C.Increased Creativity
D.Increased Coercion
E.Increased Control
Answer: B
7. The Myers-Briggs test assesses:
A.Affective Styles
B.Cognitive Style
C.Group functioning
D.Honesty
E.Locus of Control
Answer: B
8.The "line studies" conducted by Asch and outlined in Nemeth and Staw demonstrated the influence of:
A.Lighting conditions
B.Majority opinion
C.Perceptual errors
D.Authority figures
E.Cigarette smoking
Answer: B
9. The three stages of perception are:
A.attention, organization, and interpretation
B.attention, perception, and judgement
C.attention, organization, and perception
D.perception, attention, and interpretation
E.perception, organization, and bias
Answer: A
10. The self-serving bias is the:
A.tendency to make external attributions when an external reward is given.
B.tendency to accept credit for success and reject blame for failures.
C.process of assigning a cause of a behavior that is related to internal factors.
D.tendency to underestimate situational factors for your own success
E.process of assigning a cause to a behavior.
Answer: B
11. The 2D space presented in lecture that describes relational dynamics in organizations has all of the following dimensions EXCEPT:
A. Authentic
B. Autonomous
C.Deliberate
D. Manipulative
E. Natural
Answer: B
12. In the movie, 12 Angry Men, the main character held which of the following positions:
A.Minority opinion and Low social status
B.Minority opinion and High social status
C.Majority status and institutional deviant
D.Majority status and low demographic status
E.Minority status and institutional deviant
Answer: B
13. According to the lecture, extrinsic rewards are based upon the principle of
A.Behavior Modification
B.Intermittent Reinforcement
C.Operant Conditioning
D.Saturation
E.Job Characteristics Model
Answer: C
14.According to the coursepack reading "Profiles of strategic vision" by Westley and Mintzberg, to understand leadership styles, you must be aware of:
A.Internal and external contexts
B.Markets and consumer preferences
C.Personality traits of leaders and followers
D.Public opinion polls
E.Situational contingencies
Answer: A
15. Paychecks are an example of a _____________ reinforcement schedule, while commissions are an example of a ____________ reinforcement schedule.
A.Permanent, temporary
B. Absolute, contingent
C.Ratio, interval
D.Secure, probabilistic
E.Fixed interval, fixed ratio
Answer: E
16. According to the Kohn’s article ("Why incentive plans cannot work"), an intrinsic reward is effective because:
A.It provides a high level of satiation
B.It is like a carrot that reinforces behavior
C.It has a lasting effect
D.It is within the organization’s power to control
E.It is cheap and easy to implement
Answer: C
17. According the coursepack article "On the folly of rewarding A, while hoping for B", Kerr notes that, due to the existing reward system, a doctor is most likely to:
A.Pronounce a sick person well
B.Avoid diagnosing illness of any kind
C.Only see patients with no symptoms
D.Label a well person sick
E.Vacation in the fall and winter
Answer: D
18. Which of these is NOT considered an internal attribution?
A. Ability
B.Effort
C.Motivation
D.Task difficulty
E.Values
Answer: D
19. A perceptual bias in which one characteristic creates a positive impression that becomes a central factor for making conclusions is referred to as:
A.Fundamental attribution error
B.Stereotyping
C.The halo effect
D.The self-serving bias
E.The similar-to-me effect
Answer: C
20. "Strength of weak ties" refers to:
A.Knowing 3,000 people may not mean reaching 27 billion in 3 links
B.Our tendency to underutilize our close friends to get things done
C.Our weak memory makes it difficult to reach everyone in our network
D.People we do not know well have the most useful and unique resources
E.Skilled networkers who can use their ties without appearing insincere
Answer: D
21. According to the textbook, 360 &emdash; degree feedback (or 360 &emdash; degree appraisal) is:
A.Feedback that brings you "full circle" to where you started
B. Process for scanning the environment to obtain vital information
C.Taking data from all constituents to manage uncertainty
D.Feedback that is both negative and positive
E.Feedback that comes from superiors, peers, and subordinates
Answer: E
22. According to the lecture, the basic idea behind the relational model of power is that:
A.The power of A over B is related to the dependence of B on A
B.The power one holds is greater if there are many relatives in one’s network
C.Maintaining good relations with employees is the key to securing power
D.A’s power is relative to the power of B
E.A’s power is derived from the number of secure relationships A has with B
Answer: A
23. "Sandwiching" in communication refers to:
A.Delivering bad news between good news
B.Delivering criticisms in a polite way
C.Delivering good news between bad news
D.Delivering requests in a polite way
E.Delivering verbal criticisms between nonverbal cues
Answer: A
24. As per the coursepack reading "Good communication that blocks learning", double loop learning involves:
A.Always asking the same question twice
B.Following up an answer with more questions
C. Learning the same thing in two different ways
D.Learning according to the "roller coaster" model
E.Learning that negates what was previously learned
Answer: B
25. Paralinguistics include:
A.Gestures and touch
B.Personal space
C.Posture and head movements
D.Smiles and frowns
E.Tone and pitch of voice
Answer: E
26. Which of the following is a way to create public image that helps establish relationships and influence powerful external constituents?
A.Lobbying
B.Marketing
C.Post-game press conferences
D.Public relations
E.Surveys
Answer: A
27. Which of the following is an example of the "unfreezing" process in T-groups?
A. Appealing to values such as honesty and integrity
B.Behaving in a way which is inconsistent with habitual routines
C.Changing the organizational environment
D.Giving unconditional positive regard for everyone
E.Illustrating your theories with observable data
Answer: B
28. According to the lecture, which of the following is NOT true about authentic communication?
A.It requires individuals to take personal accountability
B. It violates well-learned communication rules
C.Polite communication can be harmful to effectiveness
D.Skills can be developed through practice
E.We feel most comfortable when communicating authentically
Answer: E
29. Mintzberg's study of CEO's found that:
A.Most of their time is spent on long term strategic planning
B.They consult others when making critical decisions
C.They spend their time doing a variety of very short tasks
D.They tend to be loosely networked to others in the organization
E.They tend to have very high LPC scores
Answer: C
30. Which of the following describes the leadership structure of Orpheus, the chamber music group described in lecture.
A.Charismatic conductor provides direction and coaching
B.Conducterless orchestra allows all members to assume leadership
C.Core group punishes deviants who violate group norms
D.Laissez-faire administrator attends to endless "firefighting"
E.Rigid organizational structure prevents chaos during crises
Answer: B
4 SHORT ANSWERS (10 points each)
1. List and discuss three strategies used by minority opinion-holders to change group opinion.
Example of full 3 points: Consistency--Person with minority opinion should remain consistent when discussing their opinion. They should not flip-flop on their position or be wishy washy. Staying consistent increases that person's credibility with other members, and the majority will be more likely to listen.
Example of inadequate answer: Minority opinion holder should remain consistent, show confidence, and avoid being double minority.
This answer does not explain how the minority opinion holder remains consistent, or how they can show confidence? Also does not explain what it means to be a double minority. Does not explain why minority opinion holder should use that strategy.
Many strategies can be acceptable (such as being consistent, confident) as long as an adequate explanation and discussion was given.
If student uses both "being consistent" and "building idiosyncrasy credits" as strategies, they need to explain that these 2 strategies actually contradict one another.
2. List and define five different kinds of power. Which ones are most influential in organizations and why?
Grading scheme (everyone received .5 from the beginning):
1 pts for providing a definition of the type (so one could describe it without identifying it and still receive points, and vice versa).
2 pts for identifying and explaining which sources of power were most influential and why (1 point for each type of power and 1 point for the reason)
Acceptable answers included:
Legitimate power - people comply because of your formal position. I also accepted title, official role, or derived from the organizational structure. Simply writing the queen or being born into was not adequate but received 1/2 points since it was an example from class. Some focused to heavily on power as a birthright, which has other connotations.
Reward power - people comply because you have access to rewards they desire. I also accepted access to resources and positive reinforcement. Giving Bill Clinton alone was insufficient.
Coercive power - people comply based upon your ability to punish. Also accepted were threat or coercion. Simply writing the police was insufficient.
Expert power - people comply because they believe you have knowledge or skills. Having indispensable information or critical skills increases this power. Some people weren't clear on this. Bill Gates wasn't an expert merely because he disseminates info to society but because of his skills which allowed him to exploit the technology.
Referent power - people comply because of personal attraction, liking or respectability. Referent power is essential for charisma and transformational leadership. I also gave partial credit for role model. The Pope isn't sufficient without telling why he has power, other than his position (which is legitimate power).
Relational Power - centrality within one's network who is depended upon for information and resources.
IN SUM, giving examples is not the same as giving a definition. I did not give credit for examples without explanations.
MOST INFLUENTIAL, according to the text are referent and expert power because they reside with the individual and are less dependent on the situation; breed commitment rather than resistance and; the commitment and power are longer lasting than the others. Because of the lecture on weak ties and networks, I also accepted centrality/relationship power as one of the more influential ones.
3. Discuss three barriers to communication and some options for overcoming each of them.
In order to receive full points for the question, three of these barriers should be defined and explained. In addition, each barrier should be accompanied by an explanation of how to overcome it. These examples should be specific and draw on course information. Organizational examples designed to overcome these barriers were mentioned in lecture.
4. The text suggests that leadership is not always necessary. Discuss three substitutes or neutralizers for traditional leadership behaviors, and explain how each of them replaces leadership.
Main idea behind the answer: Leaders normally perform certain functions, but these functions can also be fulfilled in other ways. The mechanisms that provide the leadership functions, in lieu of a single individual who is called the leader, are substitutes for leadership. Neutralizers are things that make the leader’s actions irrelevant.
Specifics - Substitutes: This topic was introduced in the last lecture before the exam. The key example that was presented was that of the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, the "leaderless" musical group. The group was contrasted with a traditional orchestra, in which the conductor is responsible for decision making, creation of vision, direction, coaching, motivation, and so on. In Orpheus, the functions of the leader were vested in each individual and all were responsible for the well-being of the organization. Points were awarded for discussing the Orpheus model, with additional points going to those who could cogently describe the manner in which this model provides a substitute for leadership. The text (pp. 318 &emdash; 319) discusses other substitutes for leadership. Points were awarded for mentioning and describing these substitutes, including an explanation of how they substitute for leadership.
Specifics &emdash; Neutralizers: Neutralizers for leadership are also discussed on pp. 318 &emdash; 319 of the text. Some students included leader incompetence under this heading. Although this is a creative answer, and makes sense initially, remember that neutralizers are things that make a leader’s actions irrelevant. An incompetent leader’s actions would not necessarily be irrelevant: they would more likely have severe impact, although that impact would be negative. Examples of neutralizers are the inability to reward or punish, or physical distance between leader and follower.
Examples of exemplary answers: The following is a composite of answers given by students who scored 10 out of 10 for this question. This composite is presented as an example of some of the best work on this part of the exam, against which standard the other answers were graded.
1) A neutralizer is something which makes a leader’s actions or leadership irrelevant. An example can be when an organization has to do a task. If the task is really easy, then the leader doesn’t have to provide too much leadership because the employees know what to do.
2) We saw an example in class of a substitute. This was the orchestra named Orpheus. Orpheus didn’t have one leader, but had given the leadership to every single member. There was a core group, but this one didn’t have more power than the other members because the core group would rotate.
3) A third example of a substitute could be a sports team where there was no coach, so that everyone had to lead. Substitutes demands a lot of discipline and respect. If you don’t have enough respect , then not everyone gets to talk. As substitutes, everyone should feel comfortable enough to talk and provide their ideas.
4) A challenging task/entertaining task neutralizes the need for leadership by engaging the employee. Thus, the relationship/guidance with a leader is deemed unnecessary for successful production.
5) Manual/training guide: a substitute for leadership in that learns essential skills and feedback from a guide and one’s actions rather than from a superior or leader.
6) Strong social worksetting: Here peers provide necessary feedback and information between one another. The task is understood, with support coming laterally. This neutralizes the need for guidance from a superior."
A final note: A number of students discussed leadership in a way that indicated that they do not have a full appreciation of what leadership means and the manner in which it serves an organization. In their answers, these students referred to leadership as akin to strict authoritarianism or dictatorship. Remain aware that leadership is necessary and functional, and although a single leader may not always be required, the functions of the leader continue to be performed in some way. Leadership can certainly be done poorly as well as properly, but it should not be thought of as oppressive, dictatorial, or closely linked to an inflexible hierarchy. Remember that the coaches and assistant coaches of sports teams are leaders, as are the senior players who guide and motivate other players informally. Mother Theresa was a leader, as was King Hussein of Jordan, and John Lennon. Your GSI’s are leaders for your sections. None of these people is / was dictatorial by virtue of their status as a leader.