Q&A Hero

Q: Jonathan is a scientist for a local manufacturer that employs a large percentage of the small town where he lives. Until recently, Jonathan loved his job. However, it has been discovered that the company is releasing small amounts of toxins into the local river. Jonathan is extremely bothered by this information. Based on what you know about Jonathan, describe the cognitive dissonance that he is experiencing and two ways that Jonathan can alter his behavior or attitude to reduce the dissonance.

Q: Discuss the cognitive dissonance theory. How do individuals seek consistency among their attitudes, and between their attitudes and their behavior?

Q: Describe a workplace example of how people seek consistency among their attitudes and their behavior by reducing cognitive dissonance. Then, sort your example into the three main components of attitudes.

Q: Why is it difficult to analyze the three components of an attitude separately? Provide a workplace example that demonstrates the three components.

Q: What are the three components of an attitude?

Q: Creating a satisfied workforce guarantees successful organizational performance.

Q: To effectively control the undesirable consequences of job dissatisfaction, employers should try to control the different responses to dissatisfaction.

Q: "Neglect" is an active and constructive response to dissatisfaction.

Q: "Exit" is a passive and constructive response to dissatisfaction.

Q: Actively and constructively attempting to improve conditions is part of the loyalty response to dissatisfaction.

Q: "Voice" is an active and constructive response to dissatisfaction.

Q: The relationship between pay and job satisfaction virtually disappears when one earns a pay package sufficient for or more than the comfortable living amount.

Q: Asking employees how they feel about key elements in a job and then adding the results to create an overall job satisfaction score is the single global rating approach to job satisfaction.

Q: The single global rating approach to measuring job satisfaction is more sophisticated than the summation of job facets approach.

Q: Disengaged employees have a tendency to invest time but not energy or attention into their work.

Q: An individual's involvement with, satisfaction with, and enthusiasm for the work he or she does is known as employee engagement.

Q: Employees' beliefs in the degree to which they influence their work environment, their competence, the meaningfulness of their jobs, and their perceived autonomy is known as psychological empowerment.

Q: Job involvement measures the degree to which people identify psychologically with the organization's mission and vision.

Q: Job satisfaction describes a positive feeling about a job, resulting from an evaluation of its characteristics.

Q: The attitude-behavior relationship is likely to be much stronger if an attitude refers to something with which we have direct personal experience.

Q: Discrepancies between attitudes and behavior tend to occur when social pressures to behave in certain ways hold exceptional power, as in most organizations.

Q: Attitudes that our memories can easily access are less likely to predict our behavior.

Q: Rewards can offset dissonance.

Q: If there is an inconsistency between an individual's attitude on a specific issue and his/her behavior, there are only two courses of action available-alter the attitude or alter the behavior.

Q: Individuals will be more motivated to reduce dissonance when they believe the dissonance is due to something they cannot control.

Q: No individual can completely avoid dissonance.

Q: Cognitive dissonance explains the linkage between attitudes and behavior.

Q: According to Festinger, people seek consistency between their attitudes and their behaviors.

Q: The cognitive component of an attitude describes an intention to behave in a certain way toward someone or something.

Q: The affective component of attitude is the emotional, or feeling, segment of an attitude.

Q: The intent to act in a certain way is the affective component of an attitude.

Q: The three components of an attitude are cognition, affect, and behavior.

Q: Attitudes are favorable or unfavorable evaluative statements about objects, people, or events.

Q: A satisfied workforce does not guarantee successful organizational performance. In order to improve organizational effectiveness, managers ________. A) must use 360-degrees appraisal procedures B) must provide classroom training C) must make jobs easier and targets achievable D) must offer periodic salary increments E) must try to improve employee attitudes

Q: The most important thing a manager can do to raise employee satisfaction is to focus on ________. A) employee pay B) benefits C) work hours D) intrinsic parts of the job E) employee productivity

Q: Why should managers be interested in their employees' attitudes? A) They result from behavior. B) They lead to self-concordance. C) They give warnings of potential problems. D) They result in emotional contagion. E) They result in cognitive dissonance.

Q: Synergy Inc. is a medium-sized logistics company. The management is facing tough times as the workers are dissatisfied and are engaging in a number of deviant workplace behaviors such as stealing and substance abuse during working hours. The management is considering various options to curb these counterproductive behaviors. What would be a better way to deal with such forms of workplace deviance? A) The management should let employees realize their wrongdoing on their own. B) The management should attack the source of the problem, i.e., the dissatisfaction. C) The management must introduce surveillance to ensure smooth flow of work. D) The management must suspend employees who engage in deviant workplace behaviors. E) The management must restrict the activities that adversely affect productivity.

Q: Jason has been spending a great deal of work time talking to his co-workers about how dissatisfied he is with the job. He also has spent quite a bit of time discussing unionization. In the last week, Jason has arrived at work intoxicated twice. His behavior can be classified as ________ behavior. A) citizenship B) deviant C) organizational commitment D) positive affect E) satisficing

Q: Rashid is dissatisfied at work. He feels he is paid too little and asked to do too much. To compensate for his perceived unjust pay, he regularly takes work supplies, such as computer ink cartridges, staplers, and reams of paper, home for personal use. Rashid's behavior is an example of ________. A) employee OCB B) customer satisfaction C) high productivity D) turnover rate E) deviant behavior

Q: Job dissatisfaction and antagonistic relationships with co-workers predict a variety of behaviors organizations find undesirable, including unionization attempts, substance abuse, undue socializing, and tardiness. These behaviors are indicators of a broader syndrome called ________. A) employee withdrawal B) organizational commitment C) job involvement D) cognitive dissonance E) positivity offset

Q: Under which of the following conditions is job dissatisfaction most likely to result in turnover? A) Employees have negative core self-evaluation. B) Employees have high education and ability. C) Employment opportunities are scarce. D) Employees experience emotional contagion. E) Employees have supportive relationships with their co-workers.

Q: Job dissatisfaction is more likely to translate into ________ when employees feel or perceive they have many available alternatives and when employees have high human capital. A) high productivity B) employee engagement C) increased customer satisfaction D) turnover E) organizational citizenship behavior

Q: ________ is moderately correlated with organizational citizenship behavior. A) Emotional contagion B) Job satisfaction C) Absenteeism D) Turnover rate E) Cognitive dissonance

Q: The exit-voice-loyalty-neglect framework expands employee response to include voice and loyalty-constructive behaviors that allow individuals to ________. A) revolt against the management B) reject unionization and focus on team-building activities C) identify psychologically with their jobs D) tolerate unpleasant situations or revive satisfactory working conditions E) decrease emotional contagion

Q: The performance variables productivity, absenteeism, and turnover are generally considered a part of the ________ behaviors in the exit-voice-loyalty-neglect framework. A) voice and neglect B) neglect and loyalty C) voice and exit D) loyalty and voice E) exit and neglect

Q: Which of the following is a type of response to dissatisfaction that is constructive and passive? A) loyalty B) neglect C) voice D) reflect E) exit

Q: To get his company through some hard economic times, Ben's working hours have just been reduced from 40 hours a week to 33. Ben is upset about the reduction in time and pay, but he shows up at work every morning and is willing to patiently wait until economic times improve and he can go back to working full time. Which of the following types of response is being displayed by Ben? A) voice B) neglect C) loyalty D) exit E) acceptance

Q: Attending union meetings as a way of coping with job dissatisfaction is an example of a(n) ________ response. A) exit B) voice C) loyalty D) neglect E) ratification

Q: Sarah Mayer works as a marketing executive and has been unhappy with her job profile for several months now. Over the months, she has regularly discussed with her manager how her skills lie in administrative tasks instead of in marketing. In addition, she discusses how she can make a smooth transition into the administrative role. Which type of response is Mayer using in this situation? A) exit B) voice C) loyalty D) neglect E) performance

Q: Joe Dailey is unhappy with his job because he has not received the promotion due to him several years ago. However, in spite of this, he speaks up to support his company's actions even when the local newspaper is criticizing them. Which of the following types of response represents his behavior? A) exit B) voice C) loyalty D) neglect E) acceptance

Q: Steve Werner is unhappy with his job and takes every possible vacation and sick day to avoid going to work. In addition, whenever he goes to work, he shows up late and skips important meetings. Werner is expressing his dissatisfaction through the ________ response. A) exit B) voice C) loyalty D) acceptance E) neglect

Q: Maria Womack works for a bank in Michigan and is dissatisfied with the way her manager treats her. She is planning to quit her job and find a new position with another competitor bank. Her action represents the ________ response. A) exit B) voice C) loyalty D) neglect E) acceptance

Q: Susan Daniels works for an event management company and is discontent with her job because she was passed over for a promotion. She has now composed a list of concerns and plans to discuss the issue with her supervisor. Daniels' response to the problem is referred to as ________. A) exit B) voice C) loyalty D) neglect E) acceptance

Q: Henry Hutchins is discontent with his job but believes that his supervisor is a good man who will do whatever is necessary to reduce his dissatisfaction with the job. He has decided to just wait and give his supervisor some time until conditions improve. Henry's response to this problem is termed as ________. A) exit B) voice C) loyalty D) neglect E) ratification

Q: The ________ response includes actively and constructively attempting to improve conditions, including suggesting improvements, discussing problems with superiors, and undertaking some forms of union activity. A) exit B) voice C) loyalty D) neglect E) acceptance

Q: The exit-voice-loyalty-neglect framework aids in understanding the consequences of ________. A) increasing growth opportunities B) emotional contagion C) dissatisfaction D) regular feedback E) high employee engagement

Q: Employees with positive core self-evaluations believe in their inner worth and basic competence and are more satisfied with their jobs than those with negative core self-evaluations. The concept of positive core self-evaluations indicates that ________. A) promotions and growth opportunities influence job satisfaction B) employees should be regularly monitored and provided feedback C) job conditions have a direct influence on job satisfaction D) personality plays a role in job satisfaction E) pay always has a direct correlation with job satisfaction

Q: Christina Hutchins was recently recruited by a publishing firm in Manhattan. During her first month in the job, she demonstrated positive core self-evaluations. Which of the following did she most likely do? A) mentioned that she was confident about her basic competence B) expressed dissatisfied with the nature of work C) set less ambiguous goals and objectives D) gave up easily on tasks when faced with difficulties E) did not consider her work as challenging and fulfilling

Q: Dennis Galvan works as a campaigner at Green Earth, an environmental organization. Every month, his organization arranges a team outing where they indulge in football and other team-building activities. The human resource department ensures that there are regular interactions between employees through team dinners and cultural events. According to the information given in this case, which of the following is most likely to be the reason for Galvan's high level of satisfaction toward his job? A) salary packaging B) promotion and growth C) constructive dismissal D) social context E) profile of work

Q: Charles, Anna, Elle, and Adam are college friends and work in New York City. Comfortable living in New York occurs at about $40,000 a year. Charles makes $24,000 a year, Anna makes $30,000 a year, Elle makes $50,000 a year, and Adam makes $75,000 a year. Which of the following is most likely to be true with reference to correlation between pay and job satisfaction? A) Charles is more satisfied with his job in comparison with Anna. B) Anna is more satisfied with the job than Adam. C) Charles and Adam share identical levels of job satisfaction related to pay. D) Elle and Adam are most likely to have a similar level of job satisfaction. E) Charles and Anna have the same levels of job satisfaction in relation to their pay.

Q: In Indonesia, comfortable living occurs at about $30,000. Based on the measurement of comfortable living, which of the following is most likely to be true? A) People earning approximately $25,000 are content with their jobs. B) People earning below $30,000 are as happy with jobs as those earning $35,000. C) People earning below $30,000 experience a positive correlation between pay and job satisfaction. D) People earning $50,000 have higher levels of job satisfaction than those earning $40,000. E) People's earnings have no relation to their job satisfaction if they earn $25,000.

Q: Which of the following is true about the correlation between salary and job satisfaction? A) Pay is not related to job satisfaction for employees in underdeveloped countries. B) Salary and perks do not have a role in overall happiness of employees from poor countries. C) Pay does not play a critical role in job satisfaction when an individual reaches a level of comfortable living. D) Financial perks and benefits always create job satisfaction irrespective of standards of living. E) High salary level always creates organizational commitment.

Q: Which of the following statements is true about measuring job satisfaction? A) The single global rating system is not very time consuming. B) The summation of job facets approach takes into account cognitive dissonance experienced by employees. C) The summation of job facets approach prevents managers from zeroing in on problems. D) The summation of job facets approach involves responding to one particular question. E) The single global rating approach is rarely used for measuring job satisfaction.

Q: The business head at Solaris Services was alarmed by the finding of a recent survey conducted in-house which revealed that most employees were dissatisfied with their work. He holds a meeting with various department heads to identify ways to stem the brewing discontent. One manager suggests providing employees with greater training opportunities. What assumption is the manager making? A) Employees feel that their efforts are not being adequately recognized by the management. B) Employees are highly skilled and value economic rewards over and above opportunities for growth. C) Employees are stifled by the degree of centralized control and bureaucracy within the organization. D) Employees feel that their employer does not value them enough to make investments in them. E) Employees feel excluded from organizational issues that have an influence on them.

Q: Which of the following statements is most likely to be true about the major job attitudes? A) They are highly distinct from one another. B) They are generally resistant to change. C) They tend to overlap one another. D) They are not correlated to one another. E) They increase cognitive dissonance.

Q: The human resource department of Palmer Inc. is aiming to understand the degree of employee engagement in the organization. Which of the following statements would best help them in the process? A) Do you believe in the organization's five-year plan? B) Do you believe the organization is concerned about your well-being? C) Do you enjoy your everyday tasks and achieving project milestones? D) Do you feel the organization values your work? E) Do you agree with the organization's stand on sustainable work practices?

Q: Which of the following is most likely to be a characteristic of disengaged employees? A) They feel a deep connection for their organization. B) They have a sense of passion for their work. C) They have the lowest levels of turnover. D) They put in time but give no attention to their work. E) They proactively take up responsibilities.

Q: An individual's involvement with, satisfaction with, and enthusiasm for the work he/she performs is known as ________. A) employee engagement B) cognitive dissonance C) emotional contagion D) positivity offset E) self-concordance

Q: Bryan Eusebius has a positive attitude toward his organization. He feels the management treats all employees fairly in matters concerning rewards, is understanding toward their needs and requirements, and allows them to have a voice in decisions. Bryan's attitude toward his organization is indicative of ________. A) emotional contagion B) positivity offset C) perceived organizational support D) cognitive dissonance E) self-concordance

Q: Antonio Guillermo's wife was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Guillermo had to take a considerable amount of time off work to care for their children, and he was late in completing his portion of a large project. Guillermo never feared that his job was in jeopardy because of his absences or his delay in completion of work. Name the major job attitude associated with this example. A) psychological empowerment B) perceived organizational support C) organizational commitment D) employee engagement E) job involvement

Q: Employees are most likely to perceive their organization as supportive when ________. A) they experience a cognitive dissonance between their job attitude and behavior B) the affective component of the attitude is extremely strong C) there is a weak relationship between their attitude and behavior D) they have a voice in decisions E) they experience an emotional contagion while performing their job duties

Q: Lillian Stintson works for a global women's rights organization. In the past few months, she has traveled across the globe for the campaign she was working on. In addition, she has been working weekends to meet campaign milestones. She has now decided to take a month's holiday to relax and get a much-needed break. She knows that the organization will understand her need for a long holiday. Which of the following best represents Stintson's feeling? A) low employee engagement B) high perceived organizational support C) low organizational commitment D) low job involvement E) high interest in whistle-blowing

Q: Which of the following questions best helps understand the degree of perceived organizational support among employees? A) Do you believe that employee engagement has a large impact on productivity? B) Do you believe there is sufficient employee engagement in your department? C) Do your beliefs align with the organization's vision and long-term goals? D) Do you feel the long-term goals on sustainable work practices are workable? E) Do you feel the organization has sufficient recognition rewards to value good work?

Q: ________ is the degree to which employees believe the organization values their contribution and cares about their well-being. A) Psychological empowerment B) Employee engagement C) Perceived organizational support D) Organizational commitment E) Job involvement

Q: The human resource department of Healthy Eating, a chain of health food stores, recently conducted a survey to analyze employee commitment. Which of the following statements is most likely to indicate a high degree of organizational commitment? A) I am a great believer in the importance of a healthy diet and this is why I am glad to be working for a company that is trying to make simple, healthy food available to all. B) I enjoy working for Healthy Eating because of the growth prospects that it offers and the wide range of responsibilities each one of us has. C) Even though I only work in the production department, it's good to know that my feedback gets considered during our interactive in-house sessions. D) The challenging nature of the work and the thoughtful and generous way the firm treats its staff has made Healthy Eating the best place I have ever worked in. E) My company offers me good perks and benefits.

Q: Organizational commitment is defined as ________. A) the degree to which employees identify with the organization they work for and its goals B) the state of discord caused by opposition of values between people working together C) the degree to which an employee's sense of cognitive dissonance is related to his/her job D) the employee's degree of disagreement or differential opinions about organizational practices E) the degree to which employees believe their work impacts their organization significantly

Q: Which of the following questions best helps understand an employee's organizational commitment? A) Do you feel you have a good working relationship with team members? B) Do you feel the organization will take care of you and your family in times of need? C) Do you enjoy your work even in the face of challenges? D) Does the organization provide valuable feedback to help you increase productivity? E) Do you believe in the organization's objective on sustainable work practices?

Q: Ben has been working as a process executive at an accounting firm for the past two years. A hard worker, his work is of good quality and he often puts in extra hours at the office to ensure his schedules are on track. Noticing his efforts, the management offers him a 20 percent hike. Two months later, Ben submits his resignation and soon joins a startup organization, at a senior position. Which of the following best explains this situation? A) Ben felt the hike was unwarranted. B) Ben, though highly skilled, lacked ambition. C) Ben was motivated by the prospect of extrinsic rewards. D) Ben found his work to be routine and monotonous. E) Ben was gunning for a position at the competing firm all along.

Q: In her work in the publishing industry, Vera Loranzo seeks out new authors who she considers promising. In the past two years, she has found a number of new writers whose work she thought was exceptional and immersed herself in the task of helping them shape their manuscripts for submission to her managers for publishing. Although she was extremely proud of the results, none of the authors she worked with were chosen for publication. After learning about her management's decision, she is extremely frustrated and is beginning to resent the job she does. However, she knows there is nothing she can do and continues working because of the good perks and salary benefits the job offers. How can Loranzo's job attitude be best described? A) low job involvement B) low job satisfaction C) high psychological empowerment D) high positivity offset E) low emotional contagion

Q: The degree to which a person identifies with his or her job, actively participates in it, and considers his or her performance as being important to self-worth is referred to as ________. A) emotional contagion B) job involvement C) job stability D) emotional dissonance E) direct action