Practice Quizzes
← BACK
Job Demands-Resources Theory (JD-R)
Start Quiz
Show All Answers
Reset Quiz
Q1
According to JD-R theory, what distinguishes job demands from job stressors?
A
Job demands are always negative
B
Job demands require effort but become stressors only when recovery is inadequate
C
Job stressors are the only contributors to burnout
D
Job stressors refer only to emotional demands
Correct Answer: B
A:
Incorrect – Job demands are not necessarily negative.
B:
Correct – JD-R theory specifies that demands become stressors when recovery is inadequate.
C:
Incorrect – Stress can also come from lack of resources.
D:
Incorrect – Job stressors include more than emotional demands.
Q2
What are examples of job demands in the healthcare industry, according to JD-R theory?
A
Social support and pay
B
Long working hours and emotionally demanding patient interactions
C
Flexible work schedules and sabbaticals
D
Training programs and mentoring
Correct Answer: B
A:
Incorrect – These are job resources.
B:
Correct – These are specific job demands identified in JD-R for healthcare.
C:
Incorrect – These are job resources.
D:
Incorrect – These are developmental resources.
Q3
Which of the following best describes the health impairment process in JD-R theory?
A
High autonomy leads to empowerment
B
Chronic demands drain energy and lead to health problems
C
Social support boosts motivation
D
Feedback increases engagement
Correct Answer: B
A:
Incorrect – Autonomy is part of the motivational process.
B:
Correct – This describes the health impairment process.
C:
Incorrect – Social support is part of the motivational process.
D:
Incorrect – Feedback relates to job resources and motivation.
Q4
How do intrinsic job resources promote motivation?
A
By giving employees more money
B
By satisfying autonomy, competence, and relatedness
C
By reducing working hours
D
By delegating tasks to others
Correct Answer: B
A:
Incorrect – Money is an extrinsic resource.
B:
Correct – JD-R aligns with self-determination theory on core psychological needs.
C:
Incorrect – Reducing hours may reduce demands but not necessarily motivate.
D:
Incorrect – Delegation is not a motivational resource per se.
Q5
Which of the following is NOT one of the three core dimensions of burnout?
A
Emotional exhaustion
B
Depersonalization
C
Reduced personal accomplishment
D
Work-life balance
Correct Answer: D
A:
Incorrect – This is one of the core dimensions.
B:
Incorrect – This is one of the core dimensions.
C:
Incorrect – This is one of the core dimensions.
D:
Correct – Work-life balance is not a formal dimension of burnout in JD-R.
Q6
What does the JD-R theory state about the interaction between job demands and job resources?
A
Job demands cancel out the effects of resources
B
Job resources only matter when job demands are absent
C
Job resources buffer the impact of job demands on strain
D
Job demands and resources are unrelated
Correct Answer: C
A:
Incorrect – JD-R suggests interaction, not cancellation.
B:
Incorrect – Resources are especially important when demands are high.
C:
Correct – Job resources mitigate the negative impact of high demands.
D:
Incorrect – The theory emphasizes the interaction between both.
Q7
What is job crafting according to the JD-R theory?
A
A process of organizational restructuring
B
Employee-driven changes to job demands and resources
C
A type of employee burnout
D
A form of managerial delegation
Correct Answer: B
A:
Incorrect – Restructuring is a formal organizational process.
B:
Correct – Job crafting is an active strategy by employees.
C:
Incorrect – Burnout is a potential outcome, not the process.
D:
Incorrect – Delegation is initiated by managers, not employees.
Q8
Which of the following is an example of a job resource at the interpersonal level?
A
Pay
B
Supervisor support
C
Skill variety
D
Performance feedback
Correct Answer: B
A:
Incorrect – This is a macro-level resource.
B:
Correct – Supervisor support is an interpersonal resource.
C:
Incorrect – This is a task-level resource.
D:
Incorrect – This is a task-level resource.
Q9
Why is burnout considered a severe consequence of job strain?
A
It always leads to immediate termination
B
It’s linked to cognitive decline and emotional exhaustion
C
It improves long-term productivity
D
It is a sign of resilience
Correct Answer: B
A:
Incorrect – Burnout may lead to turnover, not immediate termination.
B:
Correct – Burnout includes cognitive, emotional, and behavioral symptoms.
C:
Incorrect – Burnout decreases performance.
D:
Incorrect – Burnout indicates depletion, not resilience.
Q10
What factor can influence how employees interpret job demands?
A
Weather
B
Personality traits
C
Number of job applications
D
Age of the company
Correct Answer: B
A:
Incorrect – Not discussed in JD-R theory.
B:
Correct – Traits like emotional stability influence perception.
C:
Incorrect – Unrelated to employee perception.
D:
Incorrect – Company age isn’t emphasized.
Q11
What aspect of JD-R theory is most closely aligned with self-determination theory?
A
The emphasis on autonomy, competence, and relatedness
B
The use of extrinsic rewards
C
The need for performance evaluations
D
The focus on external control
Correct Answer: A
A:
Correct – JD-R acknowledges that job resources satisfy basic psychological needs.
B:
Incorrect – Extrinsic rewards are discussed, but not the central link.
C:
Incorrect – Evaluations are not the focus of the theory.
D:
Incorrect – JD-R emphasizes internal motivation via resources.
Q12
Which of the following is considered an extrinsic job resource?
A
Autonomy
B
Decision-making authority
C
Access to necessary equipment
D
Mentorship
Correct Answer: C
A:
Incorrect – This is intrinsic.
B:
Incorrect – This is intrinsic.
C:
Correct – Equipment is a tangible, extrinsic resource.
D:
Incorrect – This is an interpersonal resource, not extrinsic per se.
Q13
What does JD-R theory say about job resources during high demands?
A
They become irrelevant
B
They decrease motivation
C
They are most motivating
D
They increase strain
Correct Answer: C
A:
Incorrect – Resources gain importance, not lose it.
B:
Incorrect – Resources increase, not decrease, motivation.
C:
Correct – Resources buffer strain and boost engagement under pressure.
D:
Incorrect – Resources help reduce, not increase, strain.
Q14
What is a major criticism of JD-R theory?
A
It places too much emphasis on societal factors
B
It ignores job crafting
C
It oversimplifies work stress
D
It promotes job demands
Correct Answer: C
A:
Incorrect – Critics say it neglects societal factors.
B:
Incorrect – JD-R explicitly includes job crafting.
C:
Correct – Oversimplification is a major critique.
D:
Incorrect – JD-R does not promote demands.
Q15
Which of the following is a macro-level job resource?
A
Role clarity
B
Team climate
C
Job security
D
Skill variety
Correct Answer: C
A:
Incorrect – Job level.
B:
Incorrect – Interpersonal level.
C:
Correct – Macro-level includes job security and pay.
D:
Incorrect – Task level.
Q16
How does JD-R theory describe depersonalization?
A
A lack of skill variety
B
A form of emotional withdrawal and cynicism
C
A motivational strategy
D
A role-based competence
Correct Answer: B
A:
Incorrect – This relates to job design.
B:
Correct – Depersonalization is a core component of burnout.
C:
Incorrect – It is a symptom of strain, not motivation.
D:
Incorrect – Not related to competence.
Q17
How does the JD-R model describe “emotional demands”?
A
Always positive
B
Job resources
C
A type of job demand that can lead to burnout
D
Unmeasurable
Correct Answer: C
A:
Incorrect – These can be burdensome.
B:
Incorrect – These are demands, not resources.
C:
Correct – Emotional demands are a form of strain.
D:
Incorrect – They are measurable and studied.
Q18
Which of these is NOT an example of job strain mentioned in the theory?
A
Burnout
B
Fatigue
C
Absenteeism
D
Salary increase
Correct Answer: D
A:
Incorrect – Burnout is a key outcome.
B:
Incorrect – Fatigue is a symptom.
C:
Incorrect – Absenteeism is a behavioral outcome.
D:
Correct – Salary increase is unrelated to strain.
Q19
What is the role of "performance protection strategies" in JD-R?
A
They prevent turnover
B
They help sustain output under stress
C
They create more job resources
D
They increase burnout immediately
Correct Answer: B
A:
Incorrect – They relate to task performance, not retention.
B:
Correct – Employees exert effort to maintain performance temporarily.
C:
Incorrect – They use up resources, not add them.
D:
Incorrect – Burnout results from prolonged use, not immediate.
Q20
What can break the vicious cycle of stress and disengagement described in JD-R?
A
More job demands
B
Reducing autonomy
C
Enhanced job crafting
D
Ignoring strain
Correct Answer: C
A:
Incorrect – More demands worsen the cycle.
B:
Incorrect – Reducing autonomy may demotivate.
C:
Correct – Job crafting can improve fit and increase engagement.
D:
Incorrect – Avoidance exacerbates stress.
Application Questions for Your Research
Use these prompts to apply JD-R theory to your dissertation context.
Application Q1
Describe a job in your dissertation research context. Identify one key job demand and one job resource.
How do you expect these to interact to influence employee stress or engagement?
Application Q2
JD-R theory highlights that job resources are most motivating under high job demands.
How could you apply this insight to examine employee performance under pressure in your study context?
Application Q3
Consider the health impairment and motivational processes proposed in JD-R theory.
Which pathway is more relevant to your research context and why?
Application Q4
Identify a potential job crafting behavior in your dissertation research population.
How might you study the outcomes of this behavior?
Application Q5
JD-R theory distinguishes between subjective and objective assessments of job demands.
What strategies could you use to capture both perspectives in your dissertation research?
Application Q6
Identify a strain-related outcome (e.g., burnout, fatigue, absenteeism) in your population.
How might you measure it, and what job demands do you believe contribute most?
Application Q7
Think of a time when an employee in your dissertation research context increased effort to protect performance.
How might this relate to the health impairment process?
Application Q8
Design a short interview protocol that helps surface both job demands and resources among staff.
What types of questions would you ask?
Application Q9
Select a motivational job resource and describe how it might boost engagement.
How would you test its effect empirically?
Application Q10
Choose a criticism of JD-R theory.
How might your study address this limitation or incorporate it into your dissertation research?
Application Q11
How could personality traits moderate the relationship between job demands and strain in your study?
Which trait would be most important to assess?
Application Q12
What would be the implications of ignoring job resources in your dissertation research?
What would this omission mean for your findings and their practical value?
Application Q13
Imagine your participants are allowed to engage in job crafting.
What changes would they likely make, and why?
Application Q14
What organizational-level changes could reduce chronic stress in your dissertation research population?
How might you study these system-wide changes?
Application Q15
Reflect on the balance between extrinsic and intrinsic resources.
How might this balance affect employee motivation in your dissertation research context?
Application Q16
Imagine your findings suggest job demands are high but job resources are low.
What are the practical implications, and what recommendations would you make to leaders?
