Business Psychology and Corporate Behavior Lecture Notes

Traditional vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts in business psychology, ethics, organizational culture, and decision-making.

behaviour

Observable actions in a workplace or social setting

motivation

Internal drive that influences effort and goal-directed behaviour

bias

Systematic error in thinking affecting judgement

decision-making

The process of choosing between different options

perception

The way individuals interpret information

group dynamics

How people interact and behave in groups

cognitive load

The mental effort required to process information

resistance to change

Opposition to new ideas or changes

organisational culture

Shared values, beliefs, and behaviours in an organisation

assumption

A belief accepted without proof

intuition

Immediate understanding without reasoning

rational

Based on logic and reasoning

irrational

Not based on logic or reason

workplace norms

Accepted behaviours in a work environment

evidence-based

Based on data and research

intrinsic motivation

Motivation driven by internal satisfaction

extrinsic motivation

Motivation driven by external rewards

engagement

Level of involvement and commitment at work

job satisfaction

How happy someone is with their job

recognition

Acknowledgement of someone’s work

autonomy

Degree of control over one’s work

purpose

Feeling that work has meaning

incentives

Rewards that motivate behaviour

context

Situation or environment influencing behaviour

discretion

Freedom to make decisions

evaluation

Assessment of performance or behaviour

dismissal

Ending employment

misconduct

Unacceptable or improper behaviour

performance

Quality and outcomes of work

pressure

Demands affecting behaviour

workload

The amount of work assigned to an individual

cognitive bias

Systematic deviation from rational judgement affecting decisions

heuristic

Mental shortcut used in decision-making

confirmation bias

Favouring information that confirms existing beliefs

overconfidence

Overestimating one’s own abilities or predictions

groupthink

Conformity to group opinion overriding critical evaluation

anchoring

Relying heavily on initial information

sunk cost fallacy

Continuing investment because of prior commitment

availability bias

Judging probability based on easily recalled events

cause–effect reasoning

Analysing outcomes by linking actions to decisions

authority

Official legitimacy to direct others

hierarchy

Structured ranking of power and influence

formal power

Power derived from position or title

informal power

Power derived from knowledge, expertise, charisma, or networks

social dominance

Ability to assert influence and control group outcomes

psychological safety

A shared belief that it is safe to voice concerns, report errors, or challenge management decisions without fear of negative consequences or retaliation

pluralistic ignorance

Believing others agree with the group when they privately disagree

toxic leadership

Leadership that harms group performance or well-being

burnout

State of emotional and physical exhaustion

emotional exhaustion

A state of feeling emotionally drained due to stress

detachment

A feeling of being disconnected from work or others

resilience

The ability to recover from stress or challenges

turnover

The rate at which employees leave an organisation

work-life balance

The balance between work and personal life

absenteeism

Frequent absence from work

wellbeing

The overall physical and mental health of a person

ethics

Rules or standards guiding behaviour

morals

Personal beliefs about right and wrong

values

Important principles guiding behaviour

responsibility

Duty to act correctly

integrity

Being honest and having strong moral principles

accountability

Being responsible and explaining actions

honesty

Telling the truth

loyalty

Being faithful and supportive

fairness

Treating people equally

consequences

Results of actions

informal networks

Connections between people outside formal structures

gossip

Informal talk about others

social capital

Resources gained through relationships

influence

Ability to affect others

morale

Overall mood and motivation of a group

communication channels

Ways information is shared

rumours

Unverified information spreading between people

alliances

Groups supporting each other

team dynamics

How team members interact

Collective Organism

A living system where many different parts work together to stay alive and achieve a common goal

Explicit Values

The official rules, goals, and beliefs that are written on a company's website, in job advertisements, or on office walls

Implicit Culture

The unwritten rules of how employees actually behave, talk, and treat each other when management is not looking

Organisational Immune System

The hidden power inside a company that fights against new ideas, new technology, or changes to keep things the same

Cognitive Dissonance

The uncomfortable, stressful feeling you get when your personal morals and values do not match the daily behavior of your company

Psychological Assimilation

Changing your own natural behavior, clothing style, language, or opinions to fit in and be accepted by the corporate group

Archetype

A universal, subconscious character pattern across cultures that triggers immediate recognition

Brand Equity

The commercial value that comes from consumer perception of the brand name rather than the physical product

Collective Unconscious

The shared, inherited part of the human mind containing common psychological instincts and patterns

Emotional Resonance

The connection achieved when a corporate narrative aligns with a consumer's personal identity or desires

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

A business model where an organization integrates social, ethical, and environmental concerns into core operations

Greenwashing / Sportswashing

Tactical public relations maneuvers used to sanitize a problematic reputation by aligning with environmental or sporting causes

Attribution Theory

A psychological framework explaining how people judge the hidden motives behind behavior

Consumer Skepticism

A psychological defense mechanism where consumers doubt team and evaluate the truthfulness of corporate messaging

Macro-Scale Cognitive Dissonance

The mental discomfort a large population feels when a trusted institution's public values conflict with its harmful actions

Choice Architecture

The way choices are organized and presented to individuals in a physical or digital environment

Nudge

A small change in an environment that alters behavior in a predictable way without banning options or using punishments

The Default Option

The choice that happens automatically if you do nothing, such as a pre-checked box on a website

Salience

How noticeable, bright, or prominent something is, like placing healthy food at eye level

Social Proof

Our tendency to copy the actions of others when unsure, such as observing that $90\%$ of guests reuse their towels

Scarcity

The feeling that an item is rare or running out, such as an alert stating only $2$ seats are left

Dark Patterns / Sludge

Tricky designs made by companies to confuse or trick you into spending money

Organizational Culture

The shared values and behavioral norms that govern how people make decisions within a company

Cognitive Blind Spot

A psychological barrier where teams fail to recognize critical flaws because they focus on a single goal like profit

Cultural Transmission

The process by which an organization's core values or systemic flaws are passed down between leadership generations