Chapter 5: Motivation Theories
True/False
1. Motivation refers to the individual forces that account for the direction, level, and
persistence of a person’s efforts expended at work.
Ans: True LE
2. When discussing motivation, direction refers to an individual’s choice when
presented with a number of possible alternatives.
Ans: True LE
3. Content theories of motivation mainly focus on the physiological and
psychological deficiencies that people feel a compulsion to reduce or eliminate.
Ans: True LM
4. Content theories of motivation focus on the thought or cognitive processes within
people’s minds that influence their behavior.
Ans: False LM
5. Probably the best example of a process theory is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
theory.
Ans: False LM
6. Both equity theory and expectancy theory are classified as process theories.
Ans: True LE
7. Content theories suggest that motivation results from the individual’s attempts to
satisfy needs.
Ans: True LM
8. Abraham Maslow, Clayton Alderfer, David McClelland, and Frederick Herzberg
have developed four of the better-known content theories of motivation.
Ans: True LM
,9. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory identifies five levels of individual needs,
ranging from physiological needs at the lowest level, through safety, social, and
esteem needs, and finally to self-actualization needs at the highest level.
Ans: True LM
10. Maslow’s model is easy to understand, quite popular, and the best research
evidence supports the existence of a precise five-step hierarchy of needs.
Ans: False LM
11. In Maslow’s needs hierarchy, the self-actualization need refers to the need to fulfill
oneself as well as to grow and use abilities to the fullest and most creative extent.
Ans: True LM
12. A person who likes praise and recognition from his or her supervisor is seeking the
satisfaction of the social needs in Maslow’s hierarchy.
Ans: False LM
13. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory holds that a need at one level does not become
activated until the next higher-level need is fully satisfied.
Ans: False LM
14. According to Maslow’s needs hierarchy, the higher-order needs are esteem and
self-actualization.
Ans: True LM
15. According to Maslow’s needs hierarchy, the lower-order needs are esteem and
self-actualization.
Ans: False LM
16. Research evidence suggests that the needs in Maslow’s hierarchy are more likely
to operate in a flexible rather than rigid order.
Ans: True LH
, 17. Some research indicates that psychological, safety and social needs become more
important than esteem and self-actualization needs as individuals move up the
corporate ladder.
Ans: False LH
18. The five need levels in Maslow’s hierarchy may vary according to a person’s
career stage, the size of the organization, or geographical location.
Ans: True LM
19. Maslow’s social needs tend to be more important in more collectivist societies like
Mexico, thereby challenging the structured approach to the pyramid across
cultures.
Ans: True LM
20. ERG theory collapses Alderfer’s five need levels into three need categories.
Ans: False LM
21. Alderfer’s ERG theory focuses on the need for achievement, the need for
affiliation, and the need for power.
Ans: False LM
22. According to Alderfer’s theory, growth needs refer to the desire for continued
business growth and development.
Ans: False LE
23. In ERG theory, frustration-regression refers to the idea that an already satisfied
lower-level need can be activated when a higher-level need cannot be satisfied.
Ans: True LM
24. ERG theory contends that more than one need may not be activated at a particular
point in
time, whereas Maslow’s theory does not.
Ans: True LH
25. In McClelland’s motivation theory, the needs for achievement, affiliation, and
power are developed over time, as a result of life experiences.
True/False
1. Motivation refers to the individual forces that account for the direction, level, and
persistence of a person’s efforts expended at work.
Ans: True LE
2. When discussing motivation, direction refers to an individual’s choice when
presented with a number of possible alternatives.
Ans: True LE
3. Content theories of motivation mainly focus on the physiological and
psychological deficiencies that people feel a compulsion to reduce or eliminate.
Ans: True LM
4. Content theories of motivation focus on the thought or cognitive processes within
people’s minds that influence their behavior.
Ans: False LM
5. Probably the best example of a process theory is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
theory.
Ans: False LM
6. Both equity theory and expectancy theory are classified as process theories.
Ans: True LE
7. Content theories suggest that motivation results from the individual’s attempts to
satisfy needs.
Ans: True LM
8. Abraham Maslow, Clayton Alderfer, David McClelland, and Frederick Herzberg
have developed four of the better-known content theories of motivation.
Ans: True LM
,9. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory identifies five levels of individual needs,
ranging from physiological needs at the lowest level, through safety, social, and
esteem needs, and finally to self-actualization needs at the highest level.
Ans: True LM
10. Maslow’s model is easy to understand, quite popular, and the best research
evidence supports the existence of a precise five-step hierarchy of needs.
Ans: False LM
11. In Maslow’s needs hierarchy, the self-actualization need refers to the need to fulfill
oneself as well as to grow and use abilities to the fullest and most creative extent.
Ans: True LM
12. A person who likes praise and recognition from his or her supervisor is seeking the
satisfaction of the social needs in Maslow’s hierarchy.
Ans: False LM
13. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory holds that a need at one level does not become
activated until the next higher-level need is fully satisfied.
Ans: False LM
14. According to Maslow’s needs hierarchy, the higher-order needs are esteem and
self-actualization.
Ans: True LM
15. According to Maslow’s needs hierarchy, the lower-order needs are esteem and
self-actualization.
Ans: False LM
16. Research evidence suggests that the needs in Maslow’s hierarchy are more likely
to operate in a flexible rather than rigid order.
Ans: True LH
, 17. Some research indicates that psychological, safety and social needs become more
important than esteem and self-actualization needs as individuals move up the
corporate ladder.
Ans: False LH
18. The five need levels in Maslow’s hierarchy may vary according to a person’s
career stage, the size of the organization, or geographical location.
Ans: True LM
19. Maslow’s social needs tend to be more important in more collectivist societies like
Mexico, thereby challenging the structured approach to the pyramid across
cultures.
Ans: True LM
20. ERG theory collapses Alderfer’s five need levels into three need categories.
Ans: False LM
21. Alderfer’s ERG theory focuses on the need for achievement, the need for
affiliation, and the need for power.
Ans: False LM
22. According to Alderfer’s theory, growth needs refer to the desire for continued
business growth and development.
Ans: False LE
23. In ERG theory, frustration-regression refers to the idea that an already satisfied
lower-level need can be activated when a higher-level need cannot be satisfied.
Ans: True LM
24. ERG theory contends that more than one need may not be activated at a particular
point in
time, whereas Maslow’s theory does not.
Ans: True LH
25. In McClelland’s motivation theory, the needs for achievement, affiliation, and
power are developed over time, as a result of life experiences.
