Exam questions work and health psychology
Lecture 1
Q1. Explain the difference between work psychology, organizational behavior (OB), and strategic
HRM. Why does work & health psychology focus on the individual worker rather than the group or
organizational level?
Answer:
Strategic HRM focuses mainly on the organizational/group level, dealing with strategies and
practices that benefit the organization (e.g., recruitment, retention).
Organizational Behavior (OB) emphasizes social aspects of behavior in organizations, such as
leadership, teamwork, and conflict management.
Work & Health Psychology (WHP), on the other hand, focuses on the individual worker and
how work affects their well-being and performance.
WHP emphasizes the balance between employee health and organizational goals because
individual well-being is strongly connected to productivity and long-term organizational
success.
Q2. Define the concepts of work, well-being, and performance as introduced in this lecture. Provide
one concrete example of how these three concepts are connected in a workplace setting.
Answer:
Work: “A set of coordinated and goal-directed activities conducted in exchange for something
else, usually monetary reward.”
Well-being: “The state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy” (including physical, social,
and psychological aspects).
Performance: The action or process of performing a task (action) or the results of behavior
(outcome).
Example: A nurse (work) who feels supported by colleagues and has a manageable workload
(well-being) will provide high-quality patient care and meet organizational goals
(performance).
Q3. Discuss why work psychology is considered important. In your answer, refer to at least two
reasons mentioned in the lecture (e.g., time spent at work, impact on health/happiness, rising
employer expectations).
Answer:
People spend a large portion of their lives working (on average 26.8 hours per week in the
Netherlands, CBS 2023).
Work can significantly impact well-being — it has the potential to make people happy (e.g.,
fulfillment, engagement) but also sick (e.g., stress, burnout).
, Employers increasingly expect workers to develop continuously, adapt, and perform at high
levels in a fast-paced environment (examples: Adidas, PwC, Heineken graduate programs).
Therefore, work psychology is essential to help design jobs and organizations that balance
performance with employee well-being.
Q4. Describe the main dimensions of individual job performance (task performance, organizational
citizenship behavior, counterproductive work behavior, and withdrawal). For each, provide a real-
world example.
Answer:
1. Task performance (proficiency) – The core duties of the job.
Example: A teacher effectively delivering lessons and ensuring students meet learning goals.
2. Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB) – Voluntary behaviors that go beyond formal job
requirements.
Example: An employee staying late to help a colleague meet a deadline.
3. Counterproductive Work Behaviors (CWB) – Actions that harm the organization or
colleagues.
Example: Spreading rumors about a coworker or intentionally working slowly.
4. Employee Withdrawal Behaviors – Reducing effort or disengaging from work.
Example: Frequently calling in sick without valid reasons or being late to work.
Lecture 2
1. Question:
How do Theory X and Theory Y differ in their assumptions about workers, and how might these
assumptions affect job design?
Suggested Answer:
Theory X assumes workers are lazy, lack ambition, resist responsibility, and need strict supervision
and control. Job design under this view often emphasizes task simplification and efficiency. Theory Y,
on the other hand, assumes workers are motivated, capable of responsibility, and willing to work
towards organizational goals. Job design here focuses on creating meaningful, engaging jobs that
foster autonomy, development, and involvement.
2. Question:
Explain the five core job dimensions of the Job Characteristics Model (JCM) and how they influence
motivation.
Suggested Answer:
The five core dimensions are:
Skill variety: Using different skills increases meaningfulness.
Task identity: Completing a whole task enhances purpose.
Task significance: Work that impacts others increases importance.
, Autonomy: Freedom in how to work fosters responsibility.
Feedback: Receiving clear results improves learning and motivation.
Together, these dimensions strengthen psychological states (meaningfulness, responsibility,
knowledge of results) that lead to higher motivation, satisfaction, and performance.
3. Question:
What are two major criticisms of the Job Characteristics Model (JCM)?
Suggested Answer:
1. The JCM focuses narrowly on intrinsic motivation and neglects extrinsic factors such as pay
and rewards.
2. It underemphasizes negative aspects of jobs (e.g., high demands, stress), and evidence for its
mediating psychological states is mixed.
4. Question:
How does the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model explain both negative and positive outcomes at
work?
Suggested Answer:
The JD-R model shows two main processes:
Health impairment process: Excessive job demands drain employees’ energy, leading to
strain, exhaustion, and health problems.
Motivational process: Job resources (autonomy, support, feedback) enhance engagement,
creativity, and performance.
The balance between demands and resources determines overall well-being and productivity.
5. Question:
What is job crafting, and why is it considered important in the JD-R framework?
Suggested Answer:
Job crafting is when employees proactively adjust their job demands and resources to better fit their
abilities and preferences. It is important because it increases job and personal resources, enhances
engagement, and helps employees manage demands. Over time, this creates a positive gain cycle
that fosters motivation, resilience, and better performance.
Lecture 2 papers
Multiple Choice Questions: Job Characteristics Model, Hackman 1976
3. Which of the following is not a core job dimension in the JCM?
a) Skill variety
b) Task significance
c) Compensation
, d) Autonomy
Answer: c) Compensation
4. What is meant by task identity in the JCM?
a) The number of skills required for a job
b) The completion of a whole and identifiable piece of work
c) The degree to which a job affects others
d) The independence a worker has in performing a job
Answer: b) The completion of a whole and identifiable piece of work
5. Which three job dimensions are linked to the psychological state experienced meaningfulness of
work?
a) Autonomy, Feedback, Task identity
b) Skill variety, Task identity, Task significance
c) Task significance, Autonomy, Feedback
d) Skill variety, Feedback, Autonomy
Answer: b) Skill variety, Task identity, Task significance
6. According to the JCM, autonomy primarily fosters which psychological state?
a) Experienced meaningfulness
b) Knowledge of results
c) Experienced responsibility for outcomes
d) Job satisfaction
Answer: c) Experienced responsibility for outcomes
7. Feedback in the JCM contributes directly to which psychological state?
a) Knowledge of results
b) Experienced meaningfulness
c) Job satisfaction
d) Growth need strength
Answer: a) Knowledge of results
8. Which psychological state is most directly linked to skill variety, task identity, and task significance?
a) Experienced responsibility
b) Knowledge of results
c) Experienced meaningfulness
d) High motivation
Answer: c) Experienced meaningfulness
9. Which of the following is not one of the three critical psychological states in the JCM?
a) Experienced responsibility for outcomes
b) Knowledge of actual results
c) Job security
d) Experienced meaningfulness of work
Answer: c) Job security
10. The JCM predicts which of the following as personal and work outcomes?
a) High internal motivation
b) High-quality performance
c) High job satisfaction
Lecture 1
Q1. Explain the difference between work psychology, organizational behavior (OB), and strategic
HRM. Why does work & health psychology focus on the individual worker rather than the group or
organizational level?
Answer:
Strategic HRM focuses mainly on the organizational/group level, dealing with strategies and
practices that benefit the organization (e.g., recruitment, retention).
Organizational Behavior (OB) emphasizes social aspects of behavior in organizations, such as
leadership, teamwork, and conflict management.
Work & Health Psychology (WHP), on the other hand, focuses on the individual worker and
how work affects their well-being and performance.
WHP emphasizes the balance between employee health and organizational goals because
individual well-being is strongly connected to productivity and long-term organizational
success.
Q2. Define the concepts of work, well-being, and performance as introduced in this lecture. Provide
one concrete example of how these three concepts are connected in a workplace setting.
Answer:
Work: “A set of coordinated and goal-directed activities conducted in exchange for something
else, usually monetary reward.”
Well-being: “The state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy” (including physical, social,
and psychological aspects).
Performance: The action or process of performing a task (action) or the results of behavior
(outcome).
Example: A nurse (work) who feels supported by colleagues and has a manageable workload
(well-being) will provide high-quality patient care and meet organizational goals
(performance).
Q3. Discuss why work psychology is considered important. In your answer, refer to at least two
reasons mentioned in the lecture (e.g., time spent at work, impact on health/happiness, rising
employer expectations).
Answer:
People spend a large portion of their lives working (on average 26.8 hours per week in the
Netherlands, CBS 2023).
Work can significantly impact well-being — it has the potential to make people happy (e.g.,
fulfillment, engagement) but also sick (e.g., stress, burnout).
, Employers increasingly expect workers to develop continuously, adapt, and perform at high
levels in a fast-paced environment (examples: Adidas, PwC, Heineken graduate programs).
Therefore, work psychology is essential to help design jobs and organizations that balance
performance with employee well-being.
Q4. Describe the main dimensions of individual job performance (task performance, organizational
citizenship behavior, counterproductive work behavior, and withdrawal). For each, provide a real-
world example.
Answer:
1. Task performance (proficiency) – The core duties of the job.
Example: A teacher effectively delivering lessons and ensuring students meet learning goals.
2. Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB) – Voluntary behaviors that go beyond formal job
requirements.
Example: An employee staying late to help a colleague meet a deadline.
3. Counterproductive Work Behaviors (CWB) – Actions that harm the organization or
colleagues.
Example: Spreading rumors about a coworker or intentionally working slowly.
4. Employee Withdrawal Behaviors – Reducing effort or disengaging from work.
Example: Frequently calling in sick without valid reasons or being late to work.
Lecture 2
1. Question:
How do Theory X and Theory Y differ in their assumptions about workers, and how might these
assumptions affect job design?
Suggested Answer:
Theory X assumes workers are lazy, lack ambition, resist responsibility, and need strict supervision
and control. Job design under this view often emphasizes task simplification and efficiency. Theory Y,
on the other hand, assumes workers are motivated, capable of responsibility, and willing to work
towards organizational goals. Job design here focuses on creating meaningful, engaging jobs that
foster autonomy, development, and involvement.
2. Question:
Explain the five core job dimensions of the Job Characteristics Model (JCM) and how they influence
motivation.
Suggested Answer:
The five core dimensions are:
Skill variety: Using different skills increases meaningfulness.
Task identity: Completing a whole task enhances purpose.
Task significance: Work that impacts others increases importance.
, Autonomy: Freedom in how to work fosters responsibility.
Feedback: Receiving clear results improves learning and motivation.
Together, these dimensions strengthen psychological states (meaningfulness, responsibility,
knowledge of results) that lead to higher motivation, satisfaction, and performance.
3. Question:
What are two major criticisms of the Job Characteristics Model (JCM)?
Suggested Answer:
1. The JCM focuses narrowly on intrinsic motivation and neglects extrinsic factors such as pay
and rewards.
2. It underemphasizes negative aspects of jobs (e.g., high demands, stress), and evidence for its
mediating psychological states is mixed.
4. Question:
How does the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model explain both negative and positive outcomes at
work?
Suggested Answer:
The JD-R model shows two main processes:
Health impairment process: Excessive job demands drain employees’ energy, leading to
strain, exhaustion, and health problems.
Motivational process: Job resources (autonomy, support, feedback) enhance engagement,
creativity, and performance.
The balance between demands and resources determines overall well-being and productivity.
5. Question:
What is job crafting, and why is it considered important in the JD-R framework?
Suggested Answer:
Job crafting is when employees proactively adjust their job demands and resources to better fit their
abilities and preferences. It is important because it increases job and personal resources, enhances
engagement, and helps employees manage demands. Over time, this creates a positive gain cycle
that fosters motivation, resilience, and better performance.
Lecture 2 papers
Multiple Choice Questions: Job Characteristics Model, Hackman 1976
3. Which of the following is not a core job dimension in the JCM?
a) Skill variety
b) Task significance
c) Compensation
, d) Autonomy
Answer: c) Compensation
4. What is meant by task identity in the JCM?
a) The number of skills required for a job
b) The completion of a whole and identifiable piece of work
c) The degree to which a job affects others
d) The independence a worker has in performing a job
Answer: b) The completion of a whole and identifiable piece of work
5. Which three job dimensions are linked to the psychological state experienced meaningfulness of
work?
a) Autonomy, Feedback, Task identity
b) Skill variety, Task identity, Task significance
c) Task significance, Autonomy, Feedback
d) Skill variety, Feedback, Autonomy
Answer: b) Skill variety, Task identity, Task significance
6. According to the JCM, autonomy primarily fosters which psychological state?
a) Experienced meaningfulness
b) Knowledge of results
c) Experienced responsibility for outcomes
d) Job satisfaction
Answer: c) Experienced responsibility for outcomes
7. Feedback in the JCM contributes directly to which psychological state?
a) Knowledge of results
b) Experienced meaningfulness
c) Job satisfaction
d) Growth need strength
Answer: a) Knowledge of results
8. Which psychological state is most directly linked to skill variety, task identity, and task significance?
a) Experienced responsibility
b) Knowledge of results
c) Experienced meaningfulness
d) High motivation
Answer: c) Experienced meaningfulness
9. Which of the following is not one of the three critical psychological states in the JCM?
a) Experienced responsibility for outcomes
b) Knowledge of actual results
c) Job security
d) Experienced meaningfulness of work
Answer: c) Job security
10. The JCM predicts which of the following as personal and work outcomes?
a) High internal motivation
b) High-quality performance
c) High job satisfaction
