Organizational Behaviour Chapter 6 Test Bank

Organizational Behavior, 14e (Robbins/Judge)

Chapter 6 Perception and Individual Decision Making

1) What is the process by which individuals organize and interpret their sensory impressions in order to give meaning to their environment?

A) interpretation

B) environmental analysis

C) social verification

D) outlook

E) perception

Answer: E

Explanation: Perception is defined as a process by which individuals organize and interpret their sensory impressions in order to give meaning to their environment. People's behavior is based on their perception of what reality is, not on reality itself. What we perceive can be substantially different from objective reality.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 168-169

Topic: What Is Perception?

Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills

Objective: Perception

Quest. Category: Concept/Definitional

LO: 1

2) What are the three classes of factors that influence perception?

A) factors in the setting, factors in the environment, and factors in the motives

B) factors in the perceiver, factors in the target, and factors in the situation

C) factors in the character, factors in knowledge, and factors in experience

D) factors in the personality, factors in the character, and factors in the values

E) factors in the senses, factors in the surroundings, and factors in the lighting

Answer: B

Explanation: Three factors operate to shape and sometimes distort perception. These factors can reside in the perceiver; in the object, or target, being perceived; or in the context of the situation in which the perception is made.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 168

Topic: What Is Perception?

Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills

Objective: Factors Influencing Perception

Quest. Category: Concept/Definitional

LO: 1

3) Two people see the same thing at the same time yet interpret it differently. Where do the factors that operate to shape their dissimilar perceptions reside?

A) the perceivers

B) the target

C) the timing

D) the context

E) the situation

Answer: A

Explanation: Because the target and the situation are the same, the difference in perception must be in the perceivers themselves. Characteristics that can affect perception include perceiver attitudes, personality, motives, interests, past experiences, and expectations.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 168

Topic: What Is Perception?

Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills

Objective: Factors Influencing Perception

Quest. Category: Concept/Definitional

LO: 1

4) Which of the following is not a factor in the individual perceiver?

A) attitude

B) motive

C) expectation

D) location

E) perception

Answer: D

Explanation: Characteristics that can affect perception include perceiver attitudes, personality, motives, interests, past experiences, and expectations. Location is a factor in the situation, or as background for the factor of the target.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 168-169

Topic: What Is Perception?

Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills

Objective: Factors Influencing Perception

Quest. Category: Concept/Definitional

LO: 1

5) David has the opinion that people who drive SUVs are dangerous drivers. He often perceives that people driving SUVs are doing so in a dangerous manner, even when other observers can see nothing wrong with the behavior of the SUV drivers. What factor in David is affecting his perception in this case?

A) his interests

B) his work setting

C) his expectations

D) his motives

E) his background

Answer: C

Explanation: David expects all SUV drivers to be dangerous. His expectations are what color his perception. The example doesn't explain why he expects this, although it could be from a previous bad experience.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 168-169

Topic: What Is Perception?

Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills

Objective: Factors Influencing Perception

Quest. Category: Application

LO: 1

6) Which of the following is not true about our perceptions of a target?

A) Objects that are close together will be perceived together rather than separately.

B) Persons that are similar to each other tend to be grouped together.

C) Targets are usually looked at in isolation.

D) Motion, sounds, size, and other attributes of a target shape the way we see it.

E) Objects that are distant from one another will be perceived separately rather than as a group.

Answer: C

Explanation: Characteristics