WGU C715 Organizational Behavior Question Bank (Latest
2026/2027 Edition) – Questions, Answers & Detailed
Rationales
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SECTION 1: INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIOR, PERSONALITY & PERCEPTION
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Question 1
Which Big Five personality trait has consistently demonstrated the strongest positive
correlation with job performance across the broadest range of occupational categories?
A. Openness to experience
B. Conscientiousness
C. Extraversion
D. Agreeableness
Correct Answer:
B — Conscientiousness
Rationale:
Conscientiousness is the most consistent predictor of job performance because it
reflects dependability, organization, and goal-directed persistence. Extraversion predicts
performance in sales and management but not universally, while openness and
agreeableness show weaker overall correlations with performance.
Question 2
A hiring manager forms an initial positive impression of a job applicant based on the
candidate's prestigious alma mater and subsequently interprets all additional
information in a way that supports this early view. This perceptual tendency is best
described as:
A. Stereotyping
,B. Selective perception
C. The halo effect
D. Projection
Correct Answer:
B — Selective perception
Rationale:
Selective perception occurs when individuals selectively interpret information based on
existing attitudes and experiences, causing them to notice data that confirms prior
views. The halo effect involves one trait influencing all other trait perceptions, whereas
selective perception is a broader information-filtering process.
Question 3
A customer service representative is required to display cheerful enthusiasm while
assisting an irate customer despite feeling frustrated. According to emotional labor
theory, which strategy is being used if the representative genuinely attempts to modify
internal feelings to match the displayed emotion?
A. Surface acting
B. Deep acting
C. Emotional suppression
D. Emotional contagion
Correct Answer:
B — Deep acting
Rationale:
Deep acting involves modifying internal feelings to align with required emotional
displays, whereas surface acting involves faking expected emotions without changing
internal states. Emotional suppression is a general regulation tactic, and emotional
contagion refers to catching others' emotions.
Question 4
,An employee with high self-efficacy is assigned a complex project with tight deadlines.
Which behavior is this employee most likely to exhibit?
A. Avoiding the project due to fear of failure
B. Setting moderate goals and seeking minimal feedback
C. Expending greater effort and persisting longer when facing obstacles
D. Delegating all tasks to coworkers immediately
Correct Answer:
C — Expending greater effort and persisting longer when facing obstacles
Rationale:
Self-efficacy is the belief in one's capability to perform a task; high self-efficacy
correlates with increased effort, persistence, and resilience when encountering
challenges. Low self-efficacy leads to avoidance and reduced persistence.
Question 5
During a performance review, a supervisor rates an employee as excellent in all
areas—including technical skills, communication, and punctuality—after observing only
the employee's strong presentation abilities. This best illustrates:
A. The recency effect
B. The halo effect
C. Fundamental attribution error
D. Self-serving bias
Correct Answer:
B — The halo effect
Rationale:
The halo effect occurs when a single positive trait (strong presentations)
disproportionately influences the overall evaluation of unrelated traits. The recency
effect involves overweighting recent events, while attribution errors concern causal
explanations for behavior.
, Question 6
A new hire consistently attributes project failures to inadequate resources and poor
team coordination rather than personal ability, but attributes project successes to
personal skill and effort. This pattern reflects:
A. High self-monitoring
B. External locus of control
C. Internal locus of control for successes and external for failures
D. Low emotional intelligence
Correct Answer:
C — Internal locus of control for successes and external for failures
Rationale:
This pattern demonstrates the self-serving bias, where individuals attribute successes
internally and failures externally. A purely external locus of control would attribute both
success and failure to outside factors. Self-monitoring and emotional intelligence are
unrelated constructs.
Question 7
Which statement accurately distinguishes job satisfaction from organizational
commitment?
A. Job satisfaction is global; organizational commitment is always affective
B. Job satisfaction reflects emotional responses to the job; organizational commitment
reflects the strength of attachment to the organization
C. Job satisfaction predicts turnover better than organizational commitment
D. Organizational commitment is a facet of job satisfaction
Correct Answer:
B — Job satisfaction reflects emotional responses to the job; organizational
commitment reflects the strength of attachment to the organization
Rationale:
2026/2027 Edition) – Questions, Answers & Detailed
Rationales
──────────────────────────────
SECTION 1: INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIOR, PERSONALITY & PERCEPTION
──────────────────────────────
Question 1
Which Big Five personality trait has consistently demonstrated the strongest positive
correlation with job performance across the broadest range of occupational categories?
A. Openness to experience
B. Conscientiousness
C. Extraversion
D. Agreeableness
Correct Answer:
B — Conscientiousness
Rationale:
Conscientiousness is the most consistent predictor of job performance because it
reflects dependability, organization, and goal-directed persistence. Extraversion predicts
performance in sales and management but not universally, while openness and
agreeableness show weaker overall correlations with performance.
Question 2
A hiring manager forms an initial positive impression of a job applicant based on the
candidate's prestigious alma mater and subsequently interprets all additional
information in a way that supports this early view. This perceptual tendency is best
described as:
A. Stereotyping
,B. Selective perception
C. The halo effect
D. Projection
Correct Answer:
B — Selective perception
Rationale:
Selective perception occurs when individuals selectively interpret information based on
existing attitudes and experiences, causing them to notice data that confirms prior
views. The halo effect involves one trait influencing all other trait perceptions, whereas
selective perception is a broader information-filtering process.
Question 3
A customer service representative is required to display cheerful enthusiasm while
assisting an irate customer despite feeling frustrated. According to emotional labor
theory, which strategy is being used if the representative genuinely attempts to modify
internal feelings to match the displayed emotion?
A. Surface acting
B. Deep acting
C. Emotional suppression
D. Emotional contagion
Correct Answer:
B — Deep acting
Rationale:
Deep acting involves modifying internal feelings to align with required emotional
displays, whereas surface acting involves faking expected emotions without changing
internal states. Emotional suppression is a general regulation tactic, and emotional
contagion refers to catching others' emotions.
Question 4
,An employee with high self-efficacy is assigned a complex project with tight deadlines.
Which behavior is this employee most likely to exhibit?
A. Avoiding the project due to fear of failure
B. Setting moderate goals and seeking minimal feedback
C. Expending greater effort and persisting longer when facing obstacles
D. Delegating all tasks to coworkers immediately
Correct Answer:
C — Expending greater effort and persisting longer when facing obstacles
Rationale:
Self-efficacy is the belief in one's capability to perform a task; high self-efficacy
correlates with increased effort, persistence, and resilience when encountering
challenges. Low self-efficacy leads to avoidance and reduced persistence.
Question 5
During a performance review, a supervisor rates an employee as excellent in all
areas—including technical skills, communication, and punctuality—after observing only
the employee's strong presentation abilities. This best illustrates:
A. The recency effect
B. The halo effect
C. Fundamental attribution error
D. Self-serving bias
Correct Answer:
B — The halo effect
Rationale:
The halo effect occurs when a single positive trait (strong presentations)
disproportionately influences the overall evaluation of unrelated traits. The recency
effect involves overweighting recent events, while attribution errors concern causal
explanations for behavior.
, Question 6
A new hire consistently attributes project failures to inadequate resources and poor
team coordination rather than personal ability, but attributes project successes to
personal skill and effort. This pattern reflects:
A. High self-monitoring
B. External locus of control
C. Internal locus of control for successes and external for failures
D. Low emotional intelligence
Correct Answer:
C — Internal locus of control for successes and external for failures
Rationale:
This pattern demonstrates the self-serving bias, where individuals attribute successes
internally and failures externally. A purely external locus of control would attribute both
success and failure to outside factors. Self-monitoring and emotional intelligence are
unrelated constructs.
Question 7
Which statement accurately distinguishes job satisfaction from organizational
commitment?
A. Job satisfaction is global; organizational commitment is always affective
B. Job satisfaction reflects emotional responses to the job; organizational commitment
reflects the strength of attachment to the organization
C. Job satisfaction predicts turnover better than organizational commitment
D. Organizational commitment is a facet of job satisfaction
Correct Answer:
B — Job satisfaction reflects emotional responses to the job; organizational
commitment reflects the strength of attachment to the organization
Rationale:
