Western Governors University
P E R P AO • 5 1 7 C
✦ ✦
WGU College of Business · C715 Organizational Behavior
A NEW KIND OF U. · AFFORDABLE, ACCREDITED, ONLINE.
EST. 1997
C715 — Organizational Behavior
O BJ E C T I V E A SS E SS M E N T P R E PA R AT I O N · H I G H -Y I E L D P R A C T I C E Q U E ST I O N S
INSTITUTION Western Governors University (WGU) COURSE CODE C715
PROGRAM Bachelor of Science in Business ACADEMIC YEAR
Management
RESOURCE TYPE OA Preparation Practice Exam TOTAL QUESTIONS 25 Questions
COURSE TITLE Organizational Behavior FORMAT Multiple Choice — Select the Single Best
Answer
OA PREPAR ATION INSTRUCTIONS
▸ These high-yield questions are mapped to the WGU C715 Organizational Behavior objective assessment blueprint.
▸ Topics include personality, values, perception, motivation theories, group dynamics, teams, organizational culture, leadership,
power, and performance evaluation.
▸ Select the single best answer for each question. Correct answers and detailed rationales follow each question.
▸ Review rationales carefully — they explain why the correct answer is right and why distractors are wrong.
SECTION I — INDIVIDUAL, GROUP & ORGANIZATIONAL-LEVEL Questions 1 –
CONCEPTS 25
1. What does the heredity approach to personality state?
A. Personality is determined by social background and upbringing.
B. Personality is determined by the molecular structure of genes.
C. Personality is influenced by economic settings.
D. Personality traits are created by friends and family.
CORRECT ANSWER B — An individual's personality is determined by the molecular structure of the genes.
RATIONALE The heredity approach states that personality is primarily determined by genetic inheritance — the molecular
structure of genes — rather than by environmental factors. Twin studies support this: identical twins raised
apart show remarkably similar personality traits. Options A, C, and D describe environmental/social
determinants, which are emphasized by other approaches but not by the heredity perspective.
, 2. Which Big Five trait is most consistently and strongly related to job performance across all occupations?
A. Extraversion
B. Agreeableness
C. Conscientiousness
D. Emotional stability
CORRECT ANSWER C — Conscientiousness
RATIONALE Conscientiousness — characterized by organization, dependability, responsibility, and achievement
orientation — is the Big Five trait most consistently related to job performance. Meta-analytic research shows
conscientious individuals set higher goals, persist longer, and demonstrate higher reliability. While emotional
stability is also valuable, conscientiousness has the strongest predictive validity across occupations.
Extraversion predicts performance in sales and leadership roles but not universally. Agreeableness is less
consistently linked to performance.
3. Individuals who score high in ________ have a strong ability to adjust their behavior to external, situational factors
and can behave differently in different situations.
A. Internal locus of control
B. Narcissism
C. Agreeableness
D. Self-monitoring
CORRECT ANSWER D — High on self-monitoring
RATIONALE Self-monitoring refers to an individual's ability to adjust behavior to external situational factors. High self-
monitors are highly responsive to social and interpersonal cues and can behave differently depending on the
situation. Low self-monitors tend to display their true dispositions and attitudes in every situation. Internal
locus of control is about perceived control over outcomes. Narcissism involves grandiosity. Agreeableness is
about cooperation, not behavioral flexibility.
4. Which of the following is true of values?
A. They are void of a judgmental element.
B. They are invariably fluid and flexible in nature.
C. They have content and intensity attributes.
D. They never change irrespective of external factors.
CORRECT ANSWER C — They have content and intensity attributes.
RATIONALE Values have both content attributes (what the value is about — e.g., honesty, achievement) and intensity
attributes (how important that value is to the individual). Values DO contain a judgmental element (carrying
ideas about what is right, good, or desirable). They are relatively stable and enduring, not invariably fluid.
Values can change over time with significant life experiences. This content-intensity framework is
fundamental to Rokeach's value theory.
P E R P AO • 5 1 7 C
✦ ✦
WGU College of Business · C715 Organizational Behavior
A NEW KIND OF U. · AFFORDABLE, ACCREDITED, ONLINE.
EST. 1997
C715 — Organizational Behavior
O BJ E C T I V E A SS E SS M E N T P R E PA R AT I O N · H I G H -Y I E L D P R A C T I C E Q U E ST I O N S
INSTITUTION Western Governors University (WGU) COURSE CODE C715
PROGRAM Bachelor of Science in Business ACADEMIC YEAR
Management
RESOURCE TYPE OA Preparation Practice Exam TOTAL QUESTIONS 25 Questions
COURSE TITLE Organizational Behavior FORMAT Multiple Choice — Select the Single Best
Answer
OA PREPAR ATION INSTRUCTIONS
▸ These high-yield questions are mapped to the WGU C715 Organizational Behavior objective assessment blueprint.
▸ Topics include personality, values, perception, motivation theories, group dynamics, teams, organizational culture, leadership,
power, and performance evaluation.
▸ Select the single best answer for each question. Correct answers and detailed rationales follow each question.
▸ Review rationales carefully — they explain why the correct answer is right and why distractors are wrong.
SECTION I — INDIVIDUAL, GROUP & ORGANIZATIONAL-LEVEL Questions 1 –
CONCEPTS 25
1. What does the heredity approach to personality state?
A. Personality is determined by social background and upbringing.
B. Personality is determined by the molecular structure of genes.
C. Personality is influenced by economic settings.
D. Personality traits are created by friends and family.
CORRECT ANSWER B — An individual's personality is determined by the molecular structure of the genes.
RATIONALE The heredity approach states that personality is primarily determined by genetic inheritance — the molecular
structure of genes — rather than by environmental factors. Twin studies support this: identical twins raised
apart show remarkably similar personality traits. Options A, C, and D describe environmental/social
determinants, which are emphasized by other approaches but not by the heredity perspective.
, 2. Which Big Five trait is most consistently and strongly related to job performance across all occupations?
A. Extraversion
B. Agreeableness
C. Conscientiousness
D. Emotional stability
CORRECT ANSWER C — Conscientiousness
RATIONALE Conscientiousness — characterized by organization, dependability, responsibility, and achievement
orientation — is the Big Five trait most consistently related to job performance. Meta-analytic research shows
conscientious individuals set higher goals, persist longer, and demonstrate higher reliability. While emotional
stability is also valuable, conscientiousness has the strongest predictive validity across occupations.
Extraversion predicts performance in sales and leadership roles but not universally. Agreeableness is less
consistently linked to performance.
3. Individuals who score high in ________ have a strong ability to adjust their behavior to external, situational factors
and can behave differently in different situations.
A. Internal locus of control
B. Narcissism
C. Agreeableness
D. Self-monitoring
CORRECT ANSWER D — High on self-monitoring
RATIONALE Self-monitoring refers to an individual's ability to adjust behavior to external situational factors. High self-
monitors are highly responsive to social and interpersonal cues and can behave differently depending on the
situation. Low self-monitors tend to display their true dispositions and attitudes in every situation. Internal
locus of control is about perceived control over outcomes. Narcissism involves grandiosity. Agreeableness is
about cooperation, not behavioral flexibility.
4. Which of the following is true of values?
A. They are void of a judgmental element.
B. They are invariably fluid and flexible in nature.
C. They have content and intensity attributes.
D. They never change irrespective of external factors.
CORRECT ANSWER C — They have content and intensity attributes.
RATIONALE Values have both content attributes (what the value is about — e.g., honesty, achievement) and intensity
attributes (how important that value is to the individual). Values DO contain a judgmental element (carrying
ideas about what is right, good, or desirable). They are relatively stable and enduring, not invariably fluid.
Values can change over time with significant life experiences. This content-intensity framework is
fundamental to Rokeach's value theory.
