Chapter 12 Flashcards
1
Q
What is motivation?
A
- _Motivation _is the arousal of enthusiasm and persistence to pursue a certain course of action.
2
Q
What is the difference between intrinsic rewards and extrinsic rewards? What are some examples of intrinsic rewards? What are some examples of extrinsic rewards?
A
- Intrinsic rewards are the satisfactions that a person receives in the process of performing a particular action. The completion of a complex task may bestow a pleasant feeling of accomplishment, or solving a problem that benefits others may fulfill a personal mission.
- Extrinsic rewards are given by another person, typically a manager, and include promotions, praise, and pay increases. They originate externally, as a result of pleasing others.
3
Q
What is the difference between (a) content theories of motivation, (b) process theories of motivation, and (c) reinforcement and social learning theories of motivation?
A
- Content theories, stress the analysis of underlying human needs and how managers can satisfy needs in the workplace.
- Process theories concern the thought processes that influence behavior. They focus on how people seek rewards in work circumstances.
- Reinforcement and social learning theories focus on employee learning of desired work behaviors
4
Q
How does Maslow’s hierarchy of needs work and what are those needs in order of ascendance?
A
- Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory proposes that people are motivated by five categories of needs
- In order of ascendance, those needs are
- Physiological needs. These most basic human physical needs include food, water, and oxygen.
- Safety needs. These needs include a safe and secure physical and emotional environment and freedom from threats—that is, for freedom from violence and for an orderly society.
- Belongingness needs. These needs reflect the desire to be accepted by one’s peers, have friendships, be part of a group, and be loved.
- Esteem needs. These needs relate to the desire for a positive self-image and to receive attention, recognition, and appreciation from others.
- Self-actualization needs. These needs include the need for self-fulfillment, which is the highest need category.
5
Q
What is ERG theory and how is it similar to and different from Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory?
A
-
ERG theory is a modification of the needs hierarchy and proposes three categories of needs: existence, relatedness, and growth.
- Existence needs. The needs for physical well-being
- Relatedness needs. The needs for satisfactory relationships with others
- Growth needs. The needs that focus on the development of human potential and the desire for personal growth and increased competence
- The ERG model and Maslow’s needs hierarchy are similar because both are in hierarchical form and presume that individuals move up the hierarchy one step at a time. However, Alderfer reduced the number of need categories to three and proposed that movement up the hierarchy is more complex.
6
Q
What is the frustration-regression principle in ERG theory?
A
- The _frustration-regression principle _is the idea that failure to meet a high-order need may cause a regression to an already satisfied lower-order need; thus, people may move down as well as up the needs hierarchy.
7
Q
What are hygiene factors and motivation factors and how do they operate in the two-factor theory of motivation?
A
- Hygiene factors focus on lower-level needs and involves the presence or absence of job dissatisfiers, including working conditions, pay, and company policies.
- Motivators influence job satisfaction based on fulfilling higher-level needs such as achievement, recognition, responsibility, and opportunities for personal growth.
- The center of the scale is neutral, meaning that workers are neither satisfied nor dissatisfied. Herzberg believed that two entirely separate dimensions contribute to an employee’s behavior at work.
8
Q
What is the acquired needs theory and what are the three needs most frequently studied?
A
- The _acquired needs theory _proposes that certain types of needs, including the need for achievement, need for affiliation, and need for power, are acquired during an individual’s lifetime of experiences.
- Need for achievement. The desire to accomplish something difficult, attain a high standard of success, master complex tasks, and surpass others
- Need for affiliation. The desire to form close personal relationships, avoid conflict, and establish warm friendships
- Need for power. The desire to influence or control others, be responsible for others, and have authority over others
9
Q
Which theories of motivation are considered content theories and which theories of motivation are considered process theories?
A
-
Content Theories
- Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
- Alderfer’s ERG Theory
- Mclelland’s Acquired Needs Theory
-
Process Theories
- Goal Setting Theory
- Equity Theory
- Expectancy Theory
10
Q
How does goal-setting theory work?
A
- _Goal-setting theory _proposes that specific, challenging goals increase motivation and performance when the goals are accepted by subordinates and these subordinates receive feedback to indicate their progress toward goal achievement.
11
Q
What are the four criteria for motivational goals?
A
- Goal specificity refers to the degree to which goals are concrete and unambiguous. Specific goals such as “Visit one new customer each day,” or “Sell worth of merchandise a week” are more motivating than vague goals such as “Keep in touch with new customers” or “Increase merchandise sales.”
- In terms of goal difficulty, hard goals are more motivating than easy ones. Easy goals provide little challenge for employees and don’t require them to increase their output. Highly ambitious but achievable goals ask people to stretch their abilities and provide a basis for greater feelings of accomplishment and personal effectiveness.
- Goal acceptance means that employees have to “buy into” the goals and be committed to them. Having people participate in setting goals is a good way to increase acceptance and commitment.
- The component of _feedback _means that people get information about how well they are doing in progressing toward goal achievement. It is important for managers to provide performance feedback on a regular, ongoing basis.
12
Q
In goal setting theory, which type of feedback is the strongest motivator?
A
- Self-feedback, where people are able to monitor their own progress toward a goal, has been found to be an even stronger motivator than external feedback.
13
Q
What is the making progress principle and how does it work?
A
- The making progress principle is the idea that the single most important factor that can boost motivation, positive emotions, and perceptions during a workday is making progress toward meaningful goals.
- Knowing that they are making everyday progress (even only small steps) can make all the difference in how motivated people feel to continue pursuing a goal.
14
Q
What is equity theory and how does it work?
A
- _Equity theory _focuses on individuals’ perceptions of how fairly they are treated relative to others.
- Equity theory proposes that people are motivated to seek social equity in the rewards that they receive for performance.
- A situation of equity exists when the ratio of one person’s outcomes to inputs equals that of another’s.
15
Q
In equity theory, what causes perceptions of inequity, and what do people typically do about it?
A
-
Inequity occurs when the input-to-outcome ratios are out of balance, such as when a new, inexperienced employee receives the same salary as a person with a high level of education or experience.
- Change work effort. A person may choose to increase or decrease his or her inputs to the organization. Individuals who believe that they are underpaid may reduce their level of effort or increase their absenteeism. Overpaid people may increase effort on the job.
- Change outcomes. A person may change his or her outcomes. An underpaid person may request a salary increase or a bigger office. A union may try to improve wages and working conditions to be consistent with a comparable union whose members make more money.
- Change perceptions. Research suggests that people may change perceptions of equity if they are unable to change inputs or outcomes. They may increase the status attached to their jobs artificially or distort others’ perceived rewards to bring equity into balance.
- Leave the job. People who feel inequitably treated may decide to leave their jobs rather than suffer the inequity of being underpaid or overpaid. In their new jobs, they expect to find a more favorable balance of rewards.
