Industrial Psychology Flashcards
Question ID #10096: A meta-analysis of the research conducted by Baltes et al. (1999) found that, in terms of job outcomes, the compressed workweek has the least impact on:
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Objective measures of job performance.
The compressed workweek decreases the number of days worked in a given work cycle by increasing the number of hours worked per day. For example, a compressed workweek might entail four ten-hour shifts rather than the usual five eight-hour shifts. In their meta-analysis of the research,
Baltes and colleagues found that the compressed workweek had positive effects on supervisor ratings of employee performance, employee overall job satisfaction, and employee satisfaction with the work schedule.
—-Strongest on employee attitude
In contrast, the compressed workweek did not have a strong impact on objective measures of job performance or on absenteeism [B. B. Baltes et al., Flexible and compressed workweek schedules: A meta-analysis of their effects on work, Journal of Applied Psychology, 1999, 84(4), 496-513]. Note that these findings are not entirely consistent with earlier conclusions about the effects of the four-day (compressed) workweek, but the question is specifically asking about Baltes’s research.
Which step of the four-step organizational assessment includes creating questions that are important to the organization and address topics such as organizational performance and motivation?
Select one:
A.
Step 1
B.
Step 2
C.
Step 3
D.
Step 4
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B
What are the three approaches to program evaluation?
The correct answer is C. -
Goals-based measures the extent to which the program is achieving its objectives; process-based evaluates the effectiveness of systems and structures that guide a program’s success, and outcomes-based evaluates the benefits received by client participation in a program.
Answer A: Structured-based is not a relevant method of program evaluation.
Answer B: Organizational-based is not a relevant method of program evaluation.
Answer D: Didactic-based is not a relevant method of program evaluation.
A personnel director conducts a study to evaluate the criterion-related validity of a new selection test. She finds that the slope of the regression line differs for males and females. This suggests that the test may
.
be unfair
B.
have differential validity
C.
be lacking in incremental validity
D.
have inadequate convergent validity
B
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The correct answer is B.
The slope of a regression line in a criterion-related validity study indicates the degree of correlation between the predictor and the criterion. If the slope of the regression line for two different groups differs, this suggests that there may be differential validity (different validity coefficients for different groups). Additional information on unfairness and differential validity is provided in the Industrial-Organizational Psychology chapter of the written study materials.
Answer A: It is the predictor cutoff scores of the two groups that help determine whether there is unfairness, not the slope of the regression line.– lower scores
Answer C: Incremental validity refers to decision-making accuracy and, although it is affected by a predictor’s validity, its magnitude is not determined by comparing the slopes of two different groups.
Answer D: Convergent validity refers to the degree of correlation between two measures that assess the same trait using different techniques.
The major advantage of using a forced-choice method as an employee performance appraisal technique is that:
Question 9 Select one:
A.
it is easy to develop and use
B.
it provides specific information for employee feedback
C.
it helps alleviate leniency and other biases
D.
it provides an objective measure of job performance
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The correct answer is C.
When using the forced-choice technique, the rater chooses the behavior from two or more behaviors that best describe the employee, with behaviors being paired or grouped so that they are similar in terms of social desirability. This technique was developed specifically to reduce rater biases, and there is some evidence that it accomplishes this goal.
Answer A: This technique is not easy to develop and use. A known drawback is the difficulty of its development.
Answer B: The forced-choice technique is considered more useful for obtaining an overall rating of performance than for obtaining the specific information needed to give employees feedback about their performance.
Answer D: The forced-choice technique is a subjective, not an objective, measure of job performance.
Question ID #11352: In a study designed to evaluate the effects of rewards on productivity, employees in the experimental department receive their regular salary plus small bonuses that are contingent on their productivity, while employees in the control department receive their regular salary but no special incentives. The productivity levels of each department and the bonuses received by the experimental department are posted on a bulletin board. As expected, employees in the experimental department display an increase in productivity. However, an unexpected result is that employees in the control department do not maintain their performance at usual levels but, instead, exhibit a decrease in productivity. This latter result confirms the predictions of which of the following?
Question 10 Select one:
A.
ERG theory
B.
equity theory
C.
the John Henry effect
D.
social comparison theory
