Question

Erratic Behavior occurs when an individual acts in a manner that lacks consistency, regularity, and uniformity. Which situation below is the best example of Erratic Behavior?

• A. Fatima cannot contain her anger whenever the subject of local politics is discussed.
• B. Viraj has just been told that he is being laid off. Before leaving his supervisor's office, he punches a hole in the door.
• C. Rugved has visited the dealership several times, but she still cannot decide which car to buy.
• D. In the past month, Sagar, who has been a model employee for three years, has repeatedly called in sick, forgotten important meetings, and been verbally abusive to colleagues.
• E. Shreya cannot control her emotions whenever students discuss about Indian army.

Hint:

When looking for "erratic" behavior in these tests, look for the "Change" word. If a person always acts a certain way (even if that way is bad), they are consistent. If a person suddenly acts differently than they used to, they are erratic.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Concept: To identify "Erratic Behavior," we must look for a departure from a person's established pattern. The definition emphasizes a lack of consistency and regularity. This means the behavior is unpredictable or contradicts the individual's normal character.
Step 1: Analyze the provided situations for consistency.
• Situations 1 and 5: These describe reactions that happen "whenever" a specific topic is raised. This is actually consistent behavior; it is a predictable trigger-response pattern.
• Situation 2: This is an emotional outburst in response to a specific, extreme life event (being laid off). While violent, it is an isolated reaction to a crisis, not necessarily a lack of regularity in general behavior.
• Situation 3: This describes indecisiveness, which is a common trait in high-stakes purchasing and does not imply a lack of uniformity in character.

Step 2: Evaluate Situation 4 against the definition.
• Previous Pattern: Sagar was a "model employee for three years" (Established consistency/regularity).
• New Behavior: Calling in sick, forgetting meetings, and being abusive. This shift is the definition of erratic. His current actions lack uniformity with his past three years of performance. It is unpredictable and inconsistent with his established character.