WGU Organizational-Behaviors-and-Leadership - WGU Organizational Behaviors and Leadership (IBC1) Certification Exam

Instrumental values are the preferred modes of behavior or means of achieving the terminal values (the end goals). Autonomy and self-reliance are modes of behavior that individuals value to achieve their desired end goals, such as prosperity, economic success, well-being, and world peace. These behaviors guide how individuals conduct themselves to attain their objectives. In contrast, prosperity, economic success, well-being, and world peace are terminal values, representing the end states or goals individuals strive to achieve. Reference: Robbins, S.P. & Judge, T.A. (2019). Organizational Behavior, 18th Edition. Pearson. 

Maslow's hierarchy of needs is a theory in psychology that categorizes human needs into five levels, with social needs being one of them. These needs include affection, acceptance, friendship, and a sense of belonging. According to Maslow, fulfilling these social needs is essential for individuals to move on to higher levels of the hierarchy, such as esteem and self-actualization. Reference: Maslow, A.H. (1943). "A Theory of Human Motivation." Psychological Review, 50(4), 370- 396. This seminal paper introduces the hierarchy of needs, explaining each level and its significance in human motivation. 

Terminal values are the end goals that people strive to achieve in their lives. These include a comfortable life, a sense of accomplishment, and happiness. Terminal values represent the desired states or life goals that individuals aim to fulfill. In contrast, instrumental values are the means or behaviors used to achieve these end goals, such as honesty, hard work, and responsibility. Reference: Rokeach, M. (1973). "The Nature of Human Values." Free Press. This foundational work  distinguishes between terminal and instrumental values.

According to attribution theory, three factors determine whether an observer attributes behavior to internal or external causes: distinctiveness, consensus, and consistency. Distinctiveness: Whether the individual behaves differently in different situations. Consensus: Whether others in the same situation behave similarly.  Consistency: Whether the individual behaves the same way over time. Employee A’s perception of why Employee B was late would depend on these three factors. For example, if Employee B is rarely late (high distinctiveness), if many other employees were also late (high consensus), and if Employee B is usually punctual (high consistency), Employee A might attribute the lateness to an external cause such as traffic or weather conditions. Reference: Robbins, S.P., Judge, T.A., & Vohra, N. (2017). "Organizational Behavior" (16th ed.). Pearson. Chapter on Perception and Individual Decision Making, particularly the section discussing attribution theory. 

Employee A exhibits an internal locus of control because they believe that their actions and decisions significantly influence the outcomes of the team's actions. This is evident from the fact that 
Employee A actively searches for additional information and takes the initiative, suggesting a belief in their ability to control events and outcomes. Employee B, on the other hand, exhibits an external locus of control. They tend to perform better in structured, routine jobs and believe that outcomes are determined by luck or chance, indicating a belief that external factors control their fate rather than their own actions.

Reference: Robbins, S.P., Judge, T.A., & Vohra, N. (2017). "Organizational Behavior" (16th ed.). Pearson. Chapter on Personality and Values, particularly the section discussing locus of control.