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The
General Causality Orientations Scale (GCOS)
The Scale (12-vignette version)
These items pertain to a series of hypothetical sketches. Each sketch
describes an incident and lists three ways of responding to it. Please
read each sketch, imagine yourself in that situation, and then consider
each of the possible responses. Think of each response option in terms
of how likely it is that you would respond that way. (We all respond in
a variety of ways to situations, and probably most or all responses are
at least slightly likely for you.) If it is very unlikely that you would
respond the way described in a given response, you should circle answer
1 or 2. If it is moderately likely, you would select a number in the mid
range, and if it is very likely that you would respond as described, you
would circle answer 6 or 7.
1. You have been offered
a new position in a company where you have worked for some time. The first
question that is likely to come to mind is:
a) What if I can't live up to the new responsibility?
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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very unlikely
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moderately likely
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very likely
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b) Will I make more at
this position?
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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very unlikely
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moderately likely
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very likely
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c) I wonder if the new work will be interesting.
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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very unlikely
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moderately likely
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very likely
|
2. You have a school-age
daughter. On parents' night the teacher tells you that your daughter is
doing poorly and doesn't seem involved in the work. You are likely to:
a) Talk it over with
your daughter to understand further what the problem is.
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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very unlikely
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moderately likely
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very likely
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b) Scold her and hope
she does better.
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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very unlikely
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moderately likely
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very likely
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c) Make sure she does
the assignments, because she should be working harder.
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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very unlikely
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moderately likely
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very likely
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3. You had a job interview
several weeks ago. In the mail you received a form letter which states
that the position has been filled. It is likely that you might think:
a) It's not what you
know, but who you know.
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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very unlikely
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moderately likely
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very likely
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b) I'm probably not good
enough for the job.
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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very unlikely
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moderately likely
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very likely
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c) Somehow they didn't
see my qualifications as matching their needs.
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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very unlikely
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moderately likely
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very likely
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4. You are a plant supervisor
and have been charged with the task of allotting coffee breaks to three
workers who cannot all break at once. You would likely handle this by:
a) Telling the three
workers the situation and having them work with you on the schedule.
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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very unlikely
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moderately likely
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very likely
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b) Simply assigning times
that each can break to avoid any problems.
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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very unlikely
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moderately likely
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very likely
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c) Find out from someone
in authority what to do or do what was done in the past.
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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very unlikely
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moderately likely
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very likely
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5. A close (same-sex)
friend of yours has been moody lately, and a couple of times has become
very angry with you over "nothing." You might:
a) Share your
observations with him/her and try to find out what is going on for him/her.
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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very unlikely
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moderately likely
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very likely
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b) Ignore it because there's not much you can do about it anyway.
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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very unlikely
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moderately likely
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very likely
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c) Tell him/her that
you're willing to spend time together if and only if he/she makes more
effort to control him/herself.
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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very unlikely
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moderately likely
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very likely
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6. You have just received
the results of a test you took, and you discovered that you did very poorly.
Your initial reaction is likely to be:
a) "I can't do anything
right," and feel sad.
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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very unlikely
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moderately likely
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very likely
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b) "I wonder how it is
I did so poorly," and feel disappointed.
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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very unlikely
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moderately likely
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very likely
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c) "That stupid test
doesn't show anything," and feel angry.
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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very unlikely
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moderately likely
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very likely
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7. You have been invited
to a large party where you know very few people. As you look forward to
the evening, you would likely expect that:
a) You'll try to fit
in with whatever is happening in order to have a good time and not look
bad.
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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very unlikely
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moderately likely
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very likely
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b) You'll find some
people with whom you can relate.
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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very unlikely
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moderately likely
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very likely
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c) You'll probably
feel somewhat isolated and unnoticed.
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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very unlikely
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moderately likely
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very likely
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8. You are asked to plan
a picnic for yourself and your fellow employees. Your style for approaching
this project could most likely be characterized as:
a) Take charge: that
is, you would make most of the major decisions yourself.
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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very unlikely
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moderately likely
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very likely
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b) Follow precedent:
you're not really up to the task so you'd do it the way it's been done
before.
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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very unlikely
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moderately likely
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very likely
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c) Seek participation:
get inputs from others who want to make them before you make the final
plans.
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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very unlikely
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moderately likely
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very likely
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9. Recently a position
opened up at your place of work that could have meant a promotion for
you. However, a person you work with was offered the job rather than you.
In evaluating the situation, you're likely to think:
a) You didn't really expect
the job; you frequently get passed over.
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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very unlikely
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moderately likely
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very likely
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b) The other person
probably "did the right things" politically to get the job.
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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very unlikely
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moderately likely
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very likely
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c) You would probably
take a look at factors in your own performance that led you to be passed
over.
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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very unlikely
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moderately likely
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very likely
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10.You are embarking on
a new career. The most important consideration is likely to be:
a) Whether you can
do the work without getting in over your head.
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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very unlikely
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moderately likely
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very likely
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b) How interested
you are in that kind of work.
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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very unlikely
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moderately likely
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very likely
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c) Whether there are
good possibilities for advancement.
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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very unlikely
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moderately likely
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very likely
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11. A woman who works
for you has generally done an adequate job. However, for the past two
weeks her work has not been up to par and she appears to be less actively
interested in her work. Your reaction is likely to be:
a) Tell her that
her work is below what is expected and that she should start working
harder.
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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very unlikely
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moderately likely
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very likely
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b) Ask her about
the problem and let her know you are available to help work it out.
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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very unlikely
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moderately likely
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very likely
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c) It's hard to
know what to do to get her straightened out.
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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very unlikely
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moderately likely
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very likely
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12. Your company has
promoted you to a position in a city far from your present location. As
you think about the move you would probably:
a) Feel interested
in the new challenge and a little nervous at the same time.
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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very unlikely
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moderately likely
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very likely
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b) Feel excited
about the higher status and salary that is involved.
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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very unlikely
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moderately likely
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very likely
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c) Feel stressed
and anxious about the upcoming changes.
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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very unlikely
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moderately likely
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very likely
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Name or Code: __________________________________________
Sex: M F (circle one) Date:
________________________
Individual Styles Response Form - 12 Vignettes
| 1. |
a _______
b _______
c _______ |
2. |
a _______
b _______
c _______ |
3. |
a _______
b _______
c _______ |
| 4. |
a _______
b _______
c _______ |
5. |
a _______
b _______
c _______ |
6. |
a _______
b _______
c _______ |
| 7. |
a _______
b _______
c _______ |
8. |
a _______
b _______
c _______ |
9. |
a _______
b _______
c _______ |
| 10. |
a _______
b _______
c _______ |
11. |
a _______
b _______
c _______ |
12. |
a _______
b _______
c _______ |
Name or Code: _____________KEY__________________________
Sex: M F (circle one) Date:
________________________
Individual Styles Response Form - 12 Vignettes
| 1. |
a I
b C
c A |
2. |
a A
b I
c C |
3. |
a C
b I
c A |
| 4. |
a A
b C
c I |
5. |
a A
b I
c C |
6. |
a I
b A
c C |
| 7. |
a C
b A
c I |
8. |
a C
b I
c A |
9. |
a I
b C
c A |
| 10. |
a I
b A
c C |
11. |
a C
b A
c I |
12. |
a A
b C
c I |
KEY:
A = Autonomy
C = Control
I = Impersonal
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