Question 1

Kim and Eileen have both asked for an extended winter holiday in December. Since they are the only two members of the same department, they can not both be gone at the same time. They have both been with the company for five years and have the same skill level. However, the department director is Eileen's brother-in-law and he chose to give the vacation to Eileen. Kim is furious. This is an example of ________.

Accepted Answer

This situation is an example of status inequity because both employees have the same qualifications and request for time off, but Eileen was given the preference due to her familial relationship with the department director. This creates an unfair advantage for Eileen based on her social status, rather than her job performance or qualifications.

Question 2

Which of the following is not an example of a work group norm dealing with performance?

Accepted Answer

Looking busy is not necessarily related to performance. The other choices all deal with expectations for how much or how well work should be done.

Question 3

What term is used for the mutual expectations of what management expects from workers and what workers expect from management?

Accepted Answer

The term used for the mutual expectations of what management expects from workers and what workers expect from management is the "psychological contract". It refers to the unwritten expectations and obligations that both parties have towards each other. It is important for organizations to be aware of and manage the psychological contract in order to maintain a positive and productive relationship with their employees.

Question 4

Which of the following was the major finding of Zimbardo's simulated prison experiment?

Accepted Answer

The major finding of Zimbardo's simulated prison experiment was that individuals can rapidly assimilate new roles that are very different from their inherent personalities.

Question 5

What term is used for acceptable standards of behavior that are shared by a group's members?

Accepted Answer

Norms refer to the acceptable standards of behavior that are shared by a group's members. These may be unwritten or written rules that dictate how individuals should behave within the group. Other choices such as rules and codes of behavior may be related to norms, but do not encompass the full scope of accepted behaviors within a group. Standards and explicit contracts are also related to norms, but are typically more formalized and may be specific to certain situations or contexts.

Question 6

Sally works as a salesperson in a department store. Whenever a customer asks for an item that is in stock but not on display, she usually tells them that the product is out of stock. "It's a pain going into the stock-room to find an item," says Sally. "Nobody in my department ever tells a customer the truth about what is in stock." This example illustrates which of the following facts about deviant workplace behavior?

Accepted Answer

The example illustrates that deviant workplace behavior, such as lying to customers, flourishes where it is supported by group norms. Sally's statement that "nobody in my department ever tells a customer the truth" suggests that this behavior is accepted and even encouraged within her workplace culture. The other answer choices are not supported by the example or are too broad.

Question 7

Which is not a common class of norms appearing in most work groups?

Accepted Answer

Status is not typically considered a class of norms in work groups, as norms usually focus on behavior, appearance, social arrangements, and resource allocation.

Question 8

Tim is Javier's manager at an engineering firm. Tim expects Javier to report to him daily with the status of a very important project. Javier is bothered by the amount of time that the daily report takes away from his actual work, but he complies to the expectation and everyday, for five days, sends a one page report to Tim detailing what he has done. At the end of the fifth day, Tim has not replied to Javier's e-mails confirming receipt, nor given any feedback. What can you expect to happen due to the breakdown of the psychological contract?

Accepted Answer

Due to the breakdown of the psychological contract, it is likely that Javier will feel demotivated and disengaged from the project. He may begin to question the value of the daily reports if they are not being acknowledged or used by Tim. As a result, it is likely that Javier will start to scale back his report size or frequency, in order to devote more time to his actual tasks. This response is the most likely given the scenario, as it allows Javier to fulfill his obligations to Tim while also refocusing on his main responsibilities.

Question 9

The major contribution of the Asch study was to demonstrate the impact of ________.

Accepted Answer

The Asch study showed the impact of group pressures on conformity, where participants were more likely to conform to the incorrect answers given by others in the group.

Question 10

What term is used for antisocial actions by organizational members who voluntarily violate established norms and that result in negative consequences for the organization, its members, or both?

Accepted Answer

Deviant workplace behavior refers to actions by organizational members that violate established norms and result in negative consequences for the organization, its members, or both. These actions are voluntary and are often seen as antisocial or unethical. Examples of deviant workplace behavior include theft, harassment, and sabotage.

Question 11

Groups that a person is aware of or would like to be a member of, and feels members are important are called ________ groups.

Accepted Answer

The description given in the question is of a reference group, which are groups that individuals look to for guidance in shaping their attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. These groups may be aspirational, meaning individuals desire to be a member of the group, or they may simply be groups that individuals are aware of and view as important. Conformity groups are groups that individuals may conform to in order to fit in or avoid social deviance, status and power groups refer to individuals' positions in a hierarchy, and appearance groups may involve individuals seeking to conform to particular standards of physical appearance.

Question 12

Most people assume that a police officer should behave in a lawful manner, not show any favoritism to any particular group, and do their best to uphold the law. What term is used for this kind of belief?

Accepted Answer

Role expectations refer to the beliefs and behaviors that are expected of a person who occupies a particular role in society. In this case, the role expectation for a police officer is to behave lawfully, not show favoritism, and uphold the law. Therefore, choice C is the best answer.

Question 13

When Judith became a doctor she modeled her manner on her observations of more experienced doctors, and also on the behavior of doctors in medical dramas she had enjoyed watching as a child on TV. What is Judith modeling her manner upon?

Accepted Answer

Judith is modeling her manner based on her perception of how doctors should behave, influenced by both real-life observations and fictional portrayals, which aligns with role perception.

Question 14

What can we assume from the difference in behavior by the participants in Zimbardo's prison experiment and those in the BBC prison experiment?

Accepted Answer

The difference in behavior in the two experiments suggests that role abuse can be hindered and controlled by close monitoring. In Zimbardo's experiment, the lack of clear monitoring and oversight led to participants engaging in abusive behavior, whereas in the BBC experiment, the presence of constant monitoring and oversight led to a reduction in abusive behavior. This suggests that with appropriate monitoring and oversight, individuals can be prevented from abusing their roles.

Question 15

Zach is devout and very active in his church. He is also a very dedicated employee. His manager offers him a promotion but the new role will require him to work Sundays. Zach would like the promotion, but realizes that it would force him to miss some church activities. It is likely that Zach is experiencing which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Zach is experiencing role conflict because he is torn between his commitment to his church and his desire to advance in his career. The two roles are in conflict with each other and he is faced with the difficult decision of which role to prioritize.

Question 16

What term is used for the process by which an individual's desire for acceptance by the group and the pressure by the group on individual members to match its standards results in a change in individual attitudes and behaviors?

Accepted Answer

Conformity refers to the process where individuals adjust their attitudes, beliefs or behaviors to align with those of a group. This adjustment is made to increase the likelihood of being accepted by the group. Conformity is often the result of social pressure or the need for social approval.

Question 17

Norms that dictate with whom group members eat lunch, friendships on and off the job, and social games are ________ norms.

Accepted Answer

Social arrangement norms dictate the social interactions and relationships among group members, including who they eat lunch with and their friendships.

Question 18

A group is most likely to tolerate deviation from a group's conformity norms by which of the following individuals?

Accepted Answer

A high status individual who does not care about the social rewards the group provides is the most likely to tolerate deviation from a group's conformity norms, as they are not as reliant on the group for social status and therefore may not feel as strong of a need to conform to the group's norms. This individual also may be more confident in their own beliefs and less concerned with the opinions of others in the group.

Question 19

A local government work crew cleans up parks and other public spaces. In this crew the dirtiest jobs are generally given to the newest members, while the more senior members of the crew tend to do little except draw their pay. What is the class of norms that encompasses arrangements like this?

Accepted Answer

The arrangement described in the scenario is an example of the class of norms related to resource allocation. Specifically, it deals with how tasks and responsibilities are distributed within a group or organization. The newer members of the work crew are given the dirtier jobs, which implies a hierarchy or system of ranking based on seniority or experience. This is a common practice in many workplaces and is part of the resource allocation process.

Question 20

Which of the following is not a finding of Elton Mayo's Hawthorne studies?

Accepted Answer

The Hawthorne studies did not find that competition between groups will maximize group output. In fact, the studies emphasized the importance of cooperative group dynamics and the negative effects of competition on morale and productivity.

Quiz 9: Foundations of Group Behavior