Individual BehaviorIndividual Behavior

Individual differences are grounded in 4 Individual differences are grounded in 4 basic psychological conceptsbasic psychological concepts– ValuesValues– AttitudesAttitudes– PerceptionPerception– LearningLearning

ValuesValues

Personally or socially preferred behavior or Personally or socially preferred behavior or end-state.end-state.

Element of Judgment: Right versus wrongElement of Judgment: Right versus wrongExamples:Examples:

– FreedomFreedom– PleasurePleasure– Self-respect, peace, honesty, equalitySelf-respect, peace, honesty, equality

International Survey: Key International Survey: Key Attributes in a jobAttributes in a job

Work family-balanceWork family-balanceInteresting workInteresting workSecurity for the futureSecurity for the futureGood PayGood PayEnjoyable and friendly co-workersEnjoyable and friendly co-workers

– Western Europe, Japan, Russia, & U.S. Western Europe, Japan, Russia, & U.S.

International Survey: International Survey: ContinuedContinued

33% would leave their current job 33% would leave their current job for a 10% pay increasefor a 10% pay increase

44% would change jobs for a 44% would change jobs for a position with more advancement position with more advancement and growth potentialand growth potential

Importance of ValuesImportance of Values

Values influence Values influence – perceptionsperceptions– attitudesattitudes– behaviorsbehaviors

Dominant Values in Today’s Workforce

Unique Values Unique Values of Today’s Workforceof Today’s Workforce

CareerStage

Entered theWorkforce

ApproximateCurrent Age

Dominant Work Values

1. Protestant

2. Existential

3. Pragmatic

4. Generation X

Mid-1940s toLate 1950s

1960s to Mid-1970s

Mid-1970s toMid-1980s

Mid-1980sthrough 1990s

60 to 75

45 to 60

35 to 45

Under 35

Hard working; loyal tofirm; conservative

Nonconforming; seeksautonomy; loyal to self

Ambitious,hard worker;loyal to career

Flexible, values leisure;loyal to relationships

Today’s worker:Today’s worker:– Better educatedBetter educated– More mobile with less More mobile with less

commitment to your organizationcommitment to your organization – More “reward” optionsMore “reward” options – Aware of new economy andAware of new economy and

technology impacttechnology impact

Hofstede’s work on Hofstede’s work on values values across cultures across cultures (1980+)(1980+)

Bottom line: Cultural values Bottom line: Cultural values are of immense are of immense importance-“drive” how people importance-“drive” how people behave and,behave and,

Examples of Values-Cultural Examples of Values-Cultural DimensionsDimensions

Country Power Distance

Individual

QuantityOf Life

Uncert- Avoid

Long Term Oriented

China High Low Moderate Moderate High

Hong Kong

High Low High Low High

Indonesia High Low Moderate Low Low

Japan Moderate Moderate High Moderate Moderate

Adapted from G. Hofstede, “Cultural Constraints in Management Theories,” Academy of Management Executive, February 1993, p.91.

AttitudesAttitudes

Your affective evaluative reaction to Your affective evaluative reaction to objects, people or eventsobjects, people or events– Evaluative (like/dislike)Evaluative (like/dislike)

cognitivecognitiveaffectiveaffectivebehavioralbehavioral

Attitudes, Behavior & Attitudes, Behavior & ConsistencyConsistency

People seek consistency between People seek consistency between attitudes they holdattitudes they hold

People seek consistency between People seek consistency between attitudes and behaviorattitudes and behavior

Cognitive DissonanceCognitive Dissonance

Tension caused by:Tension caused by:– inconsistency between attitudesinconsistency between attitudes– inconsistency between attitudes and inconsistency between attitudes and

behaviorbehavior

How hard one tries to reduce How hard one tries to reduce dissonance depends ondissonance depends on

Importance of elements (situation) Importance of elements (situation) creating the dissonancecreating the dissonance

Degree of personal influence over the Degree of personal influence over the elements (situation)elements (situation)

Rewards involved in maintaining Rewards involved in maintaining discrepant attitude/behaviordiscrepant attitude/behavior

Reducing DissonanceReducing Dissonance

Change attitudeChange attitudeChange behaviorChange behaviorAcquire new informationAcquire new informationMinimize importance of inconsistencyMinimize importance of inconsistency

Work AttitudesWork Attitudes

Job SatisfactionJob Satisfaction

ProductivityProductivityProductivityProductivity

AbsenteeismAbsenteeismAbsenteeismAbsenteeism

TurnoverTurnoverTurnoverTurnover

JobJob

SatisfactionSatisfaction

and Employeeand Employee

PerformancePerformance

JobJob

SatisfactionSatisfaction

and Employeeand Employee

PerformancePerformance

Attitudes and BehaviorAttitudes and Behavior

DoDo– Attitudes cause behavior?Attitudes cause behavior?

– Behavior cause attitudes?Behavior cause attitudes?Self-perception theorySelf-perception theory

Job Satisfaction and OBJob Satisfaction and OB

OutcomesOutcomes TreatmentTreatment ProceduresProcedures

Perceptions of FairnessPerceptions of Fairness

Responses to Job Responses to Job DissatisfactionDissatisfaction

ExitExitVoiceVoiceNeglectNeglectLoyaltyLoyalty

Job Attitude SurveysJob Attitude Surveys

Recommended once or twice Recommended once or twice yearly to monitor employees and yearly to monitor employees and perceived working conditionsperceived working conditions

Other work related attitudesOther work related attitudes

Job InvolvementJob InvolvementOrganizational CommitmentOrganizational Commitment

PerceptionsPerceptions

How we organize and interpret our How we organize and interpret our environmentenvironment

Influenced by value systemInfluenced by value systemInfluenced by perceptual biasesInfluenced by perceptual biases

– Attribution biasesAttribution biases

Causal Attributions we makeCausal Attributions we make

Observe Behavior – Internally or externally Observe Behavior – Internally or externally caused?caused?– Distinctiveness: Unusual for the person?Distinctiveness: Unusual for the person?– Consensus: Others likely to do same Consensus: Others likely to do same

under circumstances?under circumstances?– Consistency: Same behavior over time?Consistency: Same behavior over time?

Fundamental attribution errorFundamental attribution error

We tend to underestimate the influence of We tend to underestimate the influence of external factors on behavior!external factors on behavior!

Self-Serving BiasSelf-Serving Bias

We tend to attribute:We tend to attribute:– Own successes to internal factors (ability, Own successes to internal factors (ability,

effort)effort)– Own failures to external factors (luck, Own failures to external factors (luck,

unreasonable expectations, lack of resources, unreasonable expectations, lack of resources, poor management).poor management).

Shortcuts to Judging OthersShortcuts to Judging Others

SelectivitySelectivityAssumed SimilarityAssumed SimilarityStereotypingStereotypingHalo effectHalo effect