Question

Carmen is comparing how she works with how much her coworker Alice works. Carmen believes that she works more hours than Alice does, but that Alice gets paid more. Carmen's awareness of her inputs and outcomes compared to Alice's inputs and outcomes is a common theme in __________ theory of motivation.

Answer 1

The correct answer is Equity

The Theory of Equity, generally attributed to J. Stacy Adams, is one of many theories of motivation that places emphasis on personal perception of reasonableness or relative fairness in their relationship between work and the organization. In fact, the Theory of Equity assumes that for a person to become motivated will depend on the leveling out of what he or she offers to the organization through the production system (performance) and what it receives through the pay system (compensation).

According to the Theory of Equity, each person would tend to compare what is offered as a reward for his performance with what was offered to people like him. In this comparison, the pursuit of fair treatment or, as theorists put it, the pursuit of equity is implicit.