Midterm Exam Nisha Nair Organizational Behavior Fall 2024

Selective Perception

Selectively interpreting based on interests, background, experience, and attitudes

Stereotyping

Judging based on which group an individual is a part of

Confirmation Bias

The tendency to specifically seek info supporting a favored cause to avoid contradicting data

Anchoring Bias

Using first-received info as the basis for making judgments

Availability Bias

Emphasizing information that is most readily at hand

Sunk Cost Bias

Being more committed to an action based on prior investing of time, money, and other resources

The Levels of OB Analysis

Individual and interpersonal, group, and organizational

Fields which OB has drawn on

Psychology, social psychology, sociology, anthropology

Hawthorne Studies

The fact that people's knowledge that they are being studied leads them to modify their behavior

Personality

The sum total of ways in which an individual reacts to and interacts with others.

Jung's Theory of Personality (MBTI)

Extraversion vs Introversion, Sensing vs Intuition, Thinking vs Feeling, and Judging vs Perceiving. Indicates preference not skill

Big 5 Factors of Personality

Openness, Conscientiousness, Extroversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism vs emotional stability

The Dark Triad

A set of 3 personality traits that are socially aversive. Machiavellianism (manipulation), Narcissism (superiority), and Psychopathy (lack of empathy)

Perception

A process that involves sensing various aspects of a person, task, or event and forming impressions based on selected inputs. We are all prone to perception errors. Can be enhanced through intensity of stimulus and frequency

Attribution Theory

The theory that we explain someone's behavior by determining whether it is internally or externally caused.

The 3 Attribution Theory Determining Factors

Consistency - is it repeated behavior?
Consensus - is this common among others as well?
Distinctiveness - is this like them?

Fundamental Attribution Error

Underestimating external factors and overestimating internal factors

Self-Serving Bias

The tendency to attribute own successes to internal factors but blame failures on external factors

Halo Effect

Drawing a general impression based on one characteristic

Contrast Effect

Evaluating a character based on comparisons with like others

Framing Bias

Tendency to evaluate results based on how the problem is framed

Status Quo Bias

Tendency to stick with the default option (opt in/opt out)

How to Counteract Biases

Awareness of recognizing cognitive traps, neutral lens, devil's advocacy, and Darwin's notebooks (confirmation bias prevention)

Takeaways from Perception

People act based on how they view their world. What exists is not as important as what is believed

Affect

A broad range of feelings people experience. Can be in the form of emotions or moods

Emotions

event-driven, short, can be multiple, action-oriented in nature

Moods

unclear or general cause, positive or negative effect, cognitive in nature

Emotional Labor

A situation in which an employee expresses organizationally desired emotions during interpersonal transactions at work

Emotional Dissonance

Projecting one emotion while feeling another. Can cause burnout

Types of emotions

Felt and Displayed. Some displayed examples include surface acting and deep acting

7 Categories of Intelligence

-Verbal/linguistic
-Logical/mathematics
-Visual/spatial
-Musical
-Bodily/kinesthetic
-Interpersonal
-Intrapersonal

Emotional Intelligence Facts

EI is a prerequisite for effective leadership. The higher you climb up the corporate ladder, the more EI and SOCIAL COMPETENCE matters

5 Components of Emotional Intelligence

Self awareness, self regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills

Amygdala Hijacking

Routes from sensation to action. Dissipates in 3 to 6 seconds. To prevent, practice de-escalation patterns. Postpone outbursts - take deep breaths

Group vs Team

Group: Two or more interacting but independent individuals working to achieve an objective
Team: Two or more interacting individuals with complementary skills committed to a common goal. Synergy

Work Groups vs Work Teams characteristics

Group: Share info, neutral (sometimes negative), individual, random and varied
Team: Collective performance, positive, individual and mutual, complementary

Tucker's 5 Forces Model

Forming
Storming
Norming
Performing
Adjourning

Extended 5 Forces Model

De-Norming
De-Storming
De-Forming

Critiques of the 5 Forces Model

Group behavior is way more complex. Not always linear. May occur simultaneously. Groups may regress. Ignores organizational context.

Punctuated Equilibrium Model

Temporary groups under deadlines go through transitions between inertia and activity - at the halfway point, they experience an increase in productivity

Group Decision Making Advantages

greater pool of knowledge, different perspectives, intellectual stimulation, better understanding of decision rationale, deeper commitment to the decision

Group Decision Making Disadvantages

social pressure, few people dominate, goal displacement, groupthink

Groupthink

A group prioritizes the desire for harmony in decision-making over critical thinking, leading to poor decisions no one wants

Avoiding Groupthink

Inquire, brainstorm, psychological safety, encourage risk taking, play devil's advocate, encourage diversity

Social Loafing

the tendency for people in a group to exert less effort when pooling their efforts toward attaining a common goal than when individually accountable

Asch Effect

Distortion of judgment by a unanimous but incorrect opposition

Group Shift

Groups tend to exaggerate initial position of the group on a stance. Greater risk taking usually. This is due to diffused responsibility, reduced accountability, and familiarity

Content Theories

relate to built-in needs or motivators. Includes Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

Process Theories

relate to processes and conscious choices that lead to a specific type of work behavior. Includes equity theory, expectancy theory, and cognitive evaluation

Herzberg's Theory

There are two sets of needs: hygiene factors and motivators. They are not opposites, but separate constructs.

Hygiene Factors

working conditions, supervision, security, salary, status, company policy, etc.

Motivators

Achievement, responsibility, recognition, advancement, growth, etc.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

level 1 to 5: physiological, safety, social, self-esteem, self-actualization. must go in order

Alderfer's ERG Theory

Three categories: existence, relatedness, growth (are all important at the same time unlike Maslow's)

McClelland's Three Needs Theory

People have varying levels of each the three needs: Achievement, Power, and Affiliation

Cognitive Evaluation Theory

A version of self-determination theory which holds that allocating extrinsic rewards for behavior that had been previously intrinsically rewarding tends to decrease the overall level of motivation if the rewards are seen as controlling

Self-Determination Theory

People prefer to have control over their actions. People paid to work feel more like they have to do the work versus that they want to do the work

Goal-Setting Theory

a theory that says that specific and difficult goals, with feedback, lead to higher performance. They focus and direct attention and energize the person to work harder.

SMART

specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time bound

Equity Theory

a theory that states that people will be motivated when they perceive that they are being treated fairly. People compare their ratios of outcomes-to-inputs of relevant others. Equity exists when ratios are equal. Tension arises when they are not. Behavior is modified to create equity.

Justice + Equity Theory

Distributive Justice (outcome)
Procedural Justice (outcome process)
Interactional Justice (dignity + respect)

Vroom's Expectancy Theory

a tendency to act in a certain way depends on an expectation that the act will be followed by a given outcome and on the attractiveness of that outcome to the individual. M = (E->P) x (P->O) x I

Job Characteristics Model

skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, feedback