7 Contemporary Theories of Motivation

Question 1

Define

self-determination theory

Contemporary Theories

Answer 1

A theory of motivation that is concerned with the beneficial effects of intrinsic motivation and the harmful effects of extrinsic motivation

Contemporary Theories

Question 2

Fill in the blank

Much research on self-determination theory in OB has focused on ____ .

Contemporary Theories

Answer 2

cognitive evaluation theory

Contemporary Theories

Question 3

Define

cognitive evaluation theory

Contemporary Theories

Answer 3

a version of self-determination theory in which allocating extrinsic rewards for behavior that had been previously intrinsically rewarding tends to decrease the overall level of motivation if the rewards are seen as controlling.

Contemporary Theories

Question 4

Complete the sentence

A more recent outgrowth of self-determination theory is …

Comtemporary Theories

Answer 4

self-concordance

Contemporary Theories

Question 5

Intrinsic or Extrinsic

Across cultures, if individuals pursue goals because of ____ interest, they are more likely to attain goals […]

Contemporary Theories

Answer 5

intrinsic

Contemporary Theories

Question 6

Define

self concordance

Contemporary Theories

Answer 6

The degree to which people’s reasons for pursuing goals are consistent with their interests and core values

Contemporary Theories

Question 7

Define

goal-setting theory

Contemporary Theories

Answer 7

A theory stating that specific and difficult goals, with feedback, lead to higher performance

Contemporary Theories

Question 8

list

three personal factors that influence the goals-performance relationship

Contemporary Theories

Answer 8

• goal commitment
• task characteristics
• national culture

Contemporary Theories

Question 9

list

two assumptions of goal commitment

Contemporary Theories

Answer 9

1. The individuals believes he or she can achieve the goal
2. The individual wants to achieve it

Contemporary Theories

Question 10

Define

task characteristics

Contemporary Theories

Answer 10

goals are more efficacious when:
* tasks are simpler rather than complex
* tasks are independent rather than interdependent

Contemporary Theories

Question 11

Define

national culture

Contemporary Theories

Answer 11

Assigned goals appear to generate greater goal commitment than in low power-distance cultures.

Contemporary Theories

Question 12

Define

promotion focus

Contemporary Theories

Answer 12

A self-regulation strategy that involves striving for goals through advancement and accomplishment

Contemporary Theories

Question 13

Define

A self-regulation strategy that involves striving for goals through advancement and accomplishment

Contemporary Theories

Answer 13

promotion focus

Contemporary Theories

Question 14

Define

prevention focus

Contemporary Theories

Answer 14

A self-regulation strategy that involves striving for goals by fulfilling duties and obligations

Contemporary Theories

Question 15

Define

A self-regulation strategy that involves striving for goals by fulfilling duties and obligations

Contemporary Theories

Answer 15

prevention focus

Contemporary Theories

Question 16

Define

management by objectives (MBO)

Contemporary Theories

Answer 16

A program that encompasses specific goals, participatively set, for an explicit time period, with feddback on goal progress.

Contemporary Theories

Question 17

List

four ingredients common to MBO programs

Contemporary Theories

Answer 17

1. goal specificity
2. participation in decision making
3. explicit time period
4. performance feedback

Contemporary Theories

Question 18

Define

self-efficacy theory

Contemporary Theories

Answer 18

a component of social cognitive theory or social-learning theory, refers to an individual’s belief that he or she is capable of performing a task.

Contemporary Theories

Question 19

Fill in the blank

The higher your ____, the more confidence you have in your ability to succeed.

Contemporary Theories

Answer 19

self-efficacy

Contemporary Theories

Question 20

Enumerate

The researcher who developed self-efficacy theory, Albert Bandura, proposes four ways that self-efficacy can be increased

Contemporary Theories

Answer 20

1. enactive mastery
2. viacrious modeling
3. verbal persuasion
4. arousal

Contemporary Theories

Question 21

Fill in the blank

The most important source of increasing self-efficacy is ____

Contemporary Theories

Answer 21

enactive mastery

Contemporary Theories

Question 22

Define

vicarious modeling

Contemporary Theories

Answer 22

• The second source of self-efficacy theory
• Becoming more confident because you see someone else doing the task

Contemporary Theories

Question 23

Define

verbal persuasion

Contemporary Theories

Answer 23

• The third source in self-efficacy theory
• We become more confident when someone convinces us we have the skills necessary to be successful

Contemporary Theories

Question 24

Define

arousal in self-efficacy

Contemporary Theories

Answer 24

• The fourth source in self-efficacy theory
• arousal increases self-efficacy.

Contemporary Theories

Question 25

Define

reinforcement theory

Contemporary Theories

Answer 25

A theory suggesting that behavior is a function of its consequences

Contemporary Theories

Question 26

Complete the phrases

Reinforcement theory ignores … and;
concentrates solely on …

Contemporary Theories

Answer 26

… the inner state of the individual;
… what happens when he or she takes some action

Contemporary Theories

Question 27

Fill in the blank

[…] theory is probably the most relevant component of reinforcement theory for management

Contemporary Theories

Answer 27

operant conditioning theory

Contemporary Theories

Question 28

Fill in the blank

____ strengthens a behavior and increases the likelihood it will be repeated

Contemporary Theories

Answer 28

reinforcement

Contemporary Theories

Question 29

Who created the concept of behaviorism

Contemporary Theories

Answer 29

B.F. Skinner

Contemporary Theories

Question 30

Fill in the blank

operant conditioning is part of Skinner’s broader concept of ____

Contemporary Theories

Answer 30

behaviorism

Contemporary Theories

Question 31

Define

social-learning theory

Contemporary Theories

Answer 31

The view that we can learn through both observation and direct experience

Contemporary Theories

Question 32

List

four processes in the social-learning theory

Contemporary Theories

Answer 32

1. attentional processes
2. retention processes
3. motor reproduction processes
4. reinforcement processes

Contemporary Theories

Question 33

Define

expectancy theory

Contemporary Theories

Answer 33

A theory stating that the strength of a tendency to act in a certain way depends on the strength of an expectation that the act will be followed by a given outcome and on the attractiveness of that outcome to the individual

Contemporary Theories

Question 34

Complete the sentence

One of the most widely accepted explanations of motivation is …

Contemporary Theories

Answer 34

Victor Vroom’s expectancy theory

Contemporary Theories

Question 35

Enumerate

expectancy theory focuses on three relationships

Contemporary Theories

Answer 35

1. Effort-performance relationship
2. Performance-reward relationship
3. Rewards-personal goals relationship

Contemporary Theories

Question 36

Concept at play

“It’s strange,” said Marcia. “I started work at the Humane Society as a volunteer. I put in 15 hours a week helping people adopt pets. I loved coming to work; but then, 3 months ago, they hired me full-time at $11 an hour. I’m doing the same work I did before. But I’m not finding it as much fun.”

Contemporary Theories

Answer 36

self-determination theory
* people prefer to feel they have control over their actions
* the money created an extrinsic motivation

Contemporary Theories