ATTITUDESATTITUDES

Submitted by:Submitted by:

Naveen SihagNaveen Sihag B.Tech(CS) B.Tech(CS)

ContentsContents

MeaningMeaning

Components of attitudesComponents of attitudes

Formation of attitudesFormation of attitudes

Work related attitudesWork related attitudes

Attitude changeAttitude change

Barriers to changing attitudesBarriers to changing attitudes

MeaningMeaningAn attitude is a psychological tendency, An attitude is a psychological tendency, expressed by evaluating an entity with expressed by evaluating an entity with some degree of favor or disfavor.some degree of favor or disfavor.It reflects How one feels about something?It reflects How one feels about something?

Attitude is a hypothetical construct that Attitude is a hypothetical construct that represents an individual’s like or dislike for represents an individual’s like or dislike for an item.an item.I say “I like my job”, I am expressing my I say “I like my job”, I am expressing my attitude about work.attitude about work.

ABC ModelABC ModelAttitudes develop on the basis of Attitudes develop on the basis of evaluation responding. An individual does evaluation responding. An individual does not have an attitude until he or she not have an attitude until he or she responds to an entity (person, object, responds to an entity (person, object, situation, issue) on an affective, cognitive situation, issue) on an affective, cognitive or behavioral basis.or behavioral basis.Three componentsThree components::

affectaffectbehavioral intention behavioral intention cognitioncognition

Affect:-Affect:- is the emotional component of is the emotional component of an attitude. It refers to an individuals an attitude. It refers to an individuals feeling about something or someone.feeling about something or someone.

“I like this…..”“I like this…..”“I prefer that…”“I prefer that…”

These reflect effective component of an These reflect effective component of an attitude.attitude.

Behavioral intention:-Behavioral intention:- The intention The intention to behave in a certain way towards an to behave in a certain way towards an

object or person.object or person.

Cognition:- Cognition:- reflects person’s perception or reflects person’s perception or beliefs. Cognitive elements are evaluative beliefs. Cognitive elements are evaluative

beliefs and are measured by attitude scales beliefs and are measured by attitude scales or by asking about thoughts.or by asking about thoughts.

“I believe Japanese workers are industrious” “I believe Japanese workers are industrious” reflects cognitive component of an attitude.reflects cognitive component of an attitude.

Components Measured by ExamplesComponents Measured by ExamplesAA Affect Physiological indicators Affect Physiological indicators Verbal statements I don’t like my Verbal statements I don’t like my about feelings. boss.about feelings. boss.B Behavioral Observed behaviorB Behavioral Observed behavior Intentions Verbal statements I want to transfer to Intentions Verbal statements I want to transfer to about intentions another department.about intentions another department.C Cognition Attitude scalesC Cognition Attitude scales Verbal statements I believe my boss Verbal statements I believe my boss about beliefs plays favorites at about beliefs plays favorites at work.work.

Attitude FormationAttitude FormationTwo major influences on attitudes are:Two major influences on attitudes are: Direct experienceDirect experience Social learningSocial learningDirect experience Direct experience with an object or person is a with an object or person is a

powerful influence on attitudes.powerful influence on attitudes.They are stronger, held more confidently, and are They are stronger, held more confidently, and are

more resistant to change tan attitudes formed more resistant to change tan attitudes formed through indirect experience. This means that the through indirect experience. This means that the attitudes are easily accessed and are active in attitudes are easily accessed and are active in our cognitive processes.our cognitive processes.

Social learning:-Social learning:-The process of deriving The process of deriving attitudes from family, peer groups, religious attitudes from family, peer groups, religious

organizations and culture.organizations and culture.Children learn to adopt certain attitudes by Children learn to adopt certain attitudes by the reinforcement they are given by their the reinforcement they are given by their

parents.parents.After overhearing other individuals After overhearing other individuals

expressing an opinion or watching them expressing an opinion or watching them engaging in a behavior that reflects an engaging in a behavior that reflects an

attitude, the observer adopts the attitude.attitude, the observer adopts the attitude.

Work AttitudesWork Attitudes

Attitudes at work are important because Attitudes at work are important because directly or indirectly, they affect work directly or indirectly, they affect work behavior. These job-related attitudes tap behavior. These job-related attitudes tap positive or negative evaluations that positive or negative evaluations that employees hold about aspects of their employees hold about aspects of their work environment.work environment.

Job satisfactionJob satisfactionOrganizational commitmentOrganizational commitment

Job satisfactionJob satisfaction A pleasurable or positive emotional state A pleasurable or positive emotional state

resulting from appraisal of one’s job or job resulting from appraisal of one’s job or job experiences. It has been treated both as a experiences. It has been treated both as a general attitude and a satisfaction with five general attitude and a satisfaction with five specific dimensions of the job:specific dimensions of the job:

PayPayWork itselfWork itselfPromotion opportunitiesPromotion opportunitiesSupervisionSupervisioncoworkerscoworkers

Job satisfaction is related to Job satisfaction is related to organizational organizational citizenship behavior- citizenship behavior- behavior that is above behavior that is above and beyond the call of duty.and beyond the call of duty. Satisfied employees are more likely Satisfied employees are more likely to help their coworkers, make positive to help their coworkers, make positive comments about company and refrain from comments about company and refrain from complaining when things at work do not go complaining when things at work do not go well.well. Going beyond the call of duty is Going beyond the call of duty is especially important to organizations using especially important to organizations using teams to get work done. Employees teams to get work done. Employees depend on extra help from each other to depend on extra help from each other to get things accomplishedget things accomplished

Satisfied workersSatisfied workers wantwant to give something to give something back to the organization because they want back to the organization because they want

to reciprocate their positive experiences. to reciprocate their positive experiences. Organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs) Organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs) influence performance evaluation. Employee influence performance evaluation. Employee

who exhibit behaviors such as helping who exhibit behaviors such as helping others, making suggestions for innovations others, making suggestions for innovations and developing their skills receive higher and developing their skills receive higher

performance ratings.performance ratings.“Companies with satisfied workers have “Companies with satisfied workers have better performance than Companies with better performance than Companies with

dissatisfied workers.” dissatisfied workers.”

Organizational CommitmentOrganizational Commitment

The degree to which an employee The degree to which an employee identifies with a particular organization and identifies with a particular organization and its goals, and wishes to maintain its goals, and wishes to maintain membership in the organization.membership in the organization.Three kindsThree kinds of Organizational of Organizational Commitment:Commitment:

Affective commitmentAffective commitmentContinuance commitmentContinuance commitmentNormative commitmentNormative commitment

Affective commitment Affective commitment is an employee’s is an employee’s intentionintention to remain in an organization to remain in an organization because of strong desire to do so. It consists because of strong desire to do so. It consists of 3 factors: of 3 factors: .. A belief in the goals and values of the A belief in the goals and values of the organizationorganization . . A willingness to put forth effort on behalf A willingness to put forth effort on behalf of the organizationof the organization . . A desire to remain a member of the A desire to remain a member of the organization.organization. Affective commitment Affective commitment encompasses loyalty.encompasses loyalty.

Continuance commitmentContinuance commitment is an is an employee’s tendency to remain in an employee’s tendency to remain in an organization because the person cannot organization because the person cannot afford to leave. Employees believe that if afford to leave. Employees believe that if they leave, they will lose a great deal of they leave, they will lose a great deal of their investments in time, effort and their investments in time, effort and benefits ant that they cannot replace these benefits ant that they cannot replace these investments. investments. Normative commitment Normative commitment is a perceived is a perceived obligation to remain with the organization. obligation to remain with the organization. Individuals who experience normative Individuals who experience normative commitment stay with the organization commitment stay with the organization because they fell that they should.because they fell that they should.

Attitude changeAttitude changeAttitudes can be changed through Attitudes can be changed through persuasion. Through persuasion, one persuasion. Through persuasion, one individual (the source) tries to change the individual (the source) tries to change the attitude of another person (the target). attitude of another person (the target). Factors that affect the persuasiveness of a Factors that affect the persuasiveness of a message are:message are:

Target characteristicsTarget characteristicsSource characteristicsSource characteristicsMessage characteristicsMessage characteristicsCognitive routesCognitive routes

Target characteristics:Target characteristics:

These are the characteristics that refer to These are the characteristics that refer to the person who receives and processes a the person who receives and processes a message. Individuals with low self-esteem message. Individuals with low self-esteem are more likely to change their attitude in are more likely to change their attitude in response to persuasion than are response to persuasion than are individuals with high self-esteem. The individuals with high self-esteem. The mind frame and mood of the target also mind frame and mood of the target also plays a role in this process.plays a role in this process.

Source characteristics:Source characteristics:Three major characteristics of the source Three major characteristics of the source

affect persuasion are:affect persuasion are:ExpertiseExpertiseTrustworthinessTrustworthinessAttractiveness.Attractiveness.A source who is perceived as an expert is A source who is perceived as an expert is

particularly persuasive. The credibility of a particularly persuasive. The credibility of a perceived message is a key variable, perceived message is a key variable, example: If one reads a report about example: If one reads a report about health and believes it came from a health and believes it came from a professional medical journal, one mayprofessional medical journal, one may

be more easily persuaded than if one be more easily persuaded than if one believes it is from a popular newspaper. believes it is from a popular newspaper. Some psychologists have debated that this Some psychologists have debated that this is a long-lasting effect and others are of view is a long-lasting effect and others are of view that effect of telling people that a message that effect of telling people that a message came from credible source disappeared came from credible source disappeared after several weeks (“sleeper effect”).after several weeks (“sleeper effect”).If people are informed of the source of a If people are informed of the source of a message before hearing it, there is less message before hearing it, there is less likelihood of a sleeper effect than if they are likelihood of a sleeper effect than if they are told of message and then source.told of message and then source.

Message characteristics:Message characteristics:

The nature of the message plays a role in The nature of the message plays a role in persuasion. Sometimes presenting both persuasion. Sometimes presenting both sides story is useful to change attitude.sides story is useful to change attitude.

Example: If you want to implement an Example: If you want to implement an unpopular policy at work. You have to unpopular policy at work. You have to persuade your employees that the policy is persuade your employees that the policy is a positive changea positive change

Cognitive routes:Cognitive routes:Persuasion occurs over two routes:Persuasion occurs over two routes:

Central routeCentral routePeripheral routePeripheral route In the central route to persuasion the In the central route to persuasion the

individual is presented with the data and individual is presented with the data and motivated to evaluate the data and arrive motivated to evaluate the data and arrive at an attitude changing conclusion. The at an attitude changing conclusion. The content of message is more important and content of message is more important and it involves direct cognitive processing of it involves direct cognitive processing of the message’s content.the message’s content.

In peripheral route to attitude change, the In peripheral route to attitude change, the individual is encouraged to not look at the individual is encouraged to not look at the

content but at the source i.e. individual is not content but at the source i.e. individual is not motivated to pay much attention to the motivated to pay much attention to the

message’s content.message’s content.This is commonly seen in modern This is commonly seen in modern

advertisements that feature celebrities.advertisements that feature celebrities.

In some cases, physicians, doctors, or In some cases, physicians, doctors, or experts are used. In other cases film stars experts are used. In other cases film stars

are used for their attractiveness.are used for their attractiveness.

Barriers to changing attitudes:Barriers to changing attitudes:

Prior commitmentsPrior commitmentsStrong commitmentsStrong commitmentsPublicly expressed attitudesPublicly expressed attitudesLow credibilityLow credibility Insufficient informationInsufficient informationDegree of fearDegree of fear