WGU D576 EXAM QUESTIONS WELL ANSWERED LATEST UPDATE 2026
Which topic is a focus of the organizational component of industrial/organizational
psychology? - Answers Structuring for high performance
Which guideline should be followed when writing the competencies section of a job
description? - Answers Provide information on what is needed to be successful for
the job.
What is the job analysis method that focuses on having employees describe the tasks
they perform - Answers interviewing experts
Which component is the focus when determining internal pay equity? - Answers
Identifying the importance of job duties
What is the Hawthorne effect? - Answers A condition where employees become
more productive due to being studied
What is a key responsibility of personnel psychologists in I/O psychology? - Answers
Selecting and promoting employees
Which husband-and-wife team were among the first scientists to improve productivity
and reduce fatigue by studying the motions used by workers? - Answers Frank and
Mary Gilbreth
After suffering losses from a case related to sexual harassment, a company wants to
make changes to reduce the risk of legal liability in the future. - Answers Clearly
indicate how to file a complaint or report.
Based on comments made by a business owner, it is clear to a manager that they will
be evaluated more favorably if they agree to exclude a certain ethnic group from the
hiring process.
Why is the company liable for damages in this case? - Answers The decision was tied
to an inappropriate favor
Which U.S. Supreme Court case confirmed that increasing diversity is a compelling
government interest in affirmative action programs? - Answers Grutter v. Bollinger
(2003), because it stated that using race did not erase the rights of nonminorities.
How are the Civil Rights Acts different from the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments
regarding discrimination? - Answers The Civil Rights Acts require statistical
analysis, while the Amendments require intent.
How do the legal implications differ for quid pro quo harassment and a hostile work
environment? - Answers Quid pro quo harassment can result in personal liability for
the harasser, while a hostile work environment only holds the employer liable.
How do the reporting requirements differ for quid pro quo harassment and a hostile
work environment? - Answers Quid pro quo harassment must be reported to the
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), while a hostile work
environment can be addressed internally.
What is a common affirmative action strategy that involves targeting
underrepresented groups for more extensive recruitment? - Answers Intentional
selection of minority applicants
Why should companies carefully document critical behaviors? - Answers It enables
the evaluator to remember specific behaviors.
What is one of the limitations to the employment-at-will doctrine? - Answers
Employees cannot be terminated for refusing to violate the law.
What is one legal reason for terminating an employee, given that the employment-at-
will doctrine does not apply? - Answers An inability to perform the job
, What is the purpose of task analysis in the process of needs analysis? - Answers To
determine what employees actually do in the performance of their jobs
What type of error is being made when the performance rating one person receives is
influenced by the performance of a previously evaluated person? - Answers Contrast
error
What is the potential result of promoting employees based solely on performance or
tenure? - Answers Peter Principle
After a manager creates a sorted list of employees based on performance, 20% of the
employees are placed in each of the following categories: excellent, good, average,
below average, and terrible.
Which type of evaluation is being used by the manager? - Answers Force distribution
Why should an employer be wary of relying too heavily on letters of recommendation
for the employee selection process? - Answers There is often only knowledge about
the applicant in one setting
A firm is seeking to hire a new graphic designer. In addition to other methods of
evaluation, the firm wants to use an instrument to ensure that applicants have
adequate spatial reasoning skills.
What is the appropriate test for this purpose? - Answers Perceptual ability
An employer is designing an applicant questionnaire as a performance predictor. The
questionnaire will address information about an applicant's life, school, community,
and work experience.
Which guideline should be followed in order to reduce some of the criticisms of this
type of questionnaire? - Answers Focus on events that a person controls.
What is one of the primary concerns related to the use of personality inventories for
employee selection? - Answers They are relatively easy to fake because they are self-
reports.
A company has decided to use integrity testing as part of its employee selection
process.
What is a drawback of this type of testing? - Answers Filling this test can have a
negative psychological impact
A company wants to be able to conduct employee drug tests but wants to ensure that
the methods of testing are legally defensible.
Which form of testing should be used? - Answers Test employees after an incident
has occurred
How is a voice stress analyzer used when screening potential employees? - Answers
It measures changes in a person's voice to detect signs of deception during interviews.
What is one difference between theories related to job characteristics and theories
related to job expectations? - Answers Theories based on characteristics emphasize
task significance. Theories based on expectations emphasize accurate job descriptions
A manufacturing manager proposes that the facility should have the goal of producing
5,000 units next month. The facility is currently producing 4,800 units per month.
Another manager proposes that the goal should be to achieve a high level of
efficiency.
Which topic is a focus of the organizational component of industrial/organizational
psychology? - Answers Structuring for high performance
Which guideline should be followed when writing the competencies section of a job
description? - Answers Provide information on what is needed to be successful for
the job.
What is the job analysis method that focuses on having employees describe the tasks
they perform - Answers interviewing experts
Which component is the focus when determining internal pay equity? - Answers
Identifying the importance of job duties
What is the Hawthorne effect? - Answers A condition where employees become
more productive due to being studied
What is a key responsibility of personnel psychologists in I/O psychology? - Answers
Selecting and promoting employees
Which husband-and-wife team were among the first scientists to improve productivity
and reduce fatigue by studying the motions used by workers? - Answers Frank and
Mary Gilbreth
After suffering losses from a case related to sexual harassment, a company wants to
make changes to reduce the risk of legal liability in the future. - Answers Clearly
indicate how to file a complaint or report.
Based on comments made by a business owner, it is clear to a manager that they will
be evaluated more favorably if they agree to exclude a certain ethnic group from the
hiring process.
Why is the company liable for damages in this case? - Answers The decision was tied
to an inappropriate favor
Which U.S. Supreme Court case confirmed that increasing diversity is a compelling
government interest in affirmative action programs? - Answers Grutter v. Bollinger
(2003), because it stated that using race did not erase the rights of nonminorities.
How are the Civil Rights Acts different from the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments
regarding discrimination? - Answers The Civil Rights Acts require statistical
analysis, while the Amendments require intent.
How do the legal implications differ for quid pro quo harassment and a hostile work
environment? - Answers Quid pro quo harassment can result in personal liability for
the harasser, while a hostile work environment only holds the employer liable.
How do the reporting requirements differ for quid pro quo harassment and a hostile
work environment? - Answers Quid pro quo harassment must be reported to the
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), while a hostile work
environment can be addressed internally.
What is a common affirmative action strategy that involves targeting
underrepresented groups for more extensive recruitment? - Answers Intentional
selection of minority applicants
Why should companies carefully document critical behaviors? - Answers It enables
the evaluator to remember specific behaviors.
What is one of the limitations to the employment-at-will doctrine? - Answers
Employees cannot be terminated for refusing to violate the law.
What is one legal reason for terminating an employee, given that the employment-at-
will doctrine does not apply? - Answers An inability to perform the job
, What is the purpose of task analysis in the process of needs analysis? - Answers To
determine what employees actually do in the performance of their jobs
What type of error is being made when the performance rating one person receives is
influenced by the performance of a previously evaluated person? - Answers Contrast
error
What is the potential result of promoting employees based solely on performance or
tenure? - Answers Peter Principle
After a manager creates a sorted list of employees based on performance, 20% of the
employees are placed in each of the following categories: excellent, good, average,
below average, and terrible.
Which type of evaluation is being used by the manager? - Answers Force distribution
Why should an employer be wary of relying too heavily on letters of recommendation
for the employee selection process? - Answers There is often only knowledge about
the applicant in one setting
A firm is seeking to hire a new graphic designer. In addition to other methods of
evaluation, the firm wants to use an instrument to ensure that applicants have
adequate spatial reasoning skills.
What is the appropriate test for this purpose? - Answers Perceptual ability
An employer is designing an applicant questionnaire as a performance predictor. The
questionnaire will address information about an applicant's life, school, community,
and work experience.
Which guideline should be followed in order to reduce some of the criticisms of this
type of questionnaire? - Answers Focus on events that a person controls.
What is one of the primary concerns related to the use of personality inventories for
employee selection? - Answers They are relatively easy to fake because they are self-
reports.
A company has decided to use integrity testing as part of its employee selection
process.
What is a drawback of this type of testing? - Answers Filling this test can have a
negative psychological impact
A company wants to be able to conduct employee drug tests but wants to ensure that
the methods of testing are legally defensible.
Which form of testing should be used? - Answers Test employees after an incident
has occurred
How is a voice stress analyzer used when screening potential employees? - Answers
It measures changes in a person's voice to detect signs of deception during interviews.
What is one difference between theories related to job characteristics and theories
related to job expectations? - Answers Theories based on characteristics emphasize
task significance. Theories based on expectations emphasize accurate job descriptions
A manufacturing manager proposes that the facility should have the goal of producing
5,000 units next month. The facility is currently producing 4,800 units per month.
Another manager proposes that the goal should be to achieve a high level of
efficiency.
