Chapter 2 - Week 2

Define Personality in Organizational Behaviour.

The relatively stable set of psychological characteristics that influences an individual’s interactions with their environment and dictates how they feel, think, and behave[cite: 317].

Contrast the Dispositional Approach and Situational Approach to OB.

The Dispositional Approach attributes behavior to an individual's stable internal traits, whereas the Situational Approach views work environment factors (rewards, tasks) as the primary behavioral drivers[cite: 317].

What is the core premise of the Interactionist Approach (Interactionism)?

Organizational behavior is a joint function of both stable individual dispositions and specific situational factors (Behavior = Personality + Work Setting)[cite: 317].

What is the difference between a Weak Situation and a Strong Situation?

Weak situations have loose roles, few rules, and ambiguous reward contingencies, allowing personality maximum influence; strong situations feature strict rules and explicit expectations that suppress personality differences[cite: 317].

What does Trait Activation Theory predict regarding job performance?

Personality traits predict behavior and job performance only when the specific work environment makes the need for that particular trait salient (highlighting person-job fit)[cite: 317].

Which Big Five personality trait is the strongest overall predictor of job performance across all occupations?

Conscientiousness (reflecting dependability, responsibility, achievement-orientation, and self-discipline)[cite: 317].

How can high Conscientiousness paradoxically lead to negative employee outcomes?

During periods of extreme stress or remote work (e.g., COVID-19), highly conscientious workers may experience increased psychological strain and lower job satisfaction due to self-imposed pressures to meet high job demands[cite: 317].

How does Extraversion impact job performance and attendance?

Extraversion is a positive predictor of performance in sales and management roles, but high extraverts also exhibit higher rates of absenteeism[cite: 317].

Why does low Emotional Stability (high Neuroticism) hurt job performance across almost all occupations?

Individuals low in emotional stability tend to experience high anxiety, depression, and insecurity, which consumes cognitive bandwidth and hinders effective coping[cite: 317].

How does Agreeableness influence employee attitudes toward their organization?

Agreeableness (being warm, cooperative, and tolerant) is strongly positively related to organizational commitment and interpersonal harmony[cite: 317].

Differentiate between a High Internal and a High External Locus of Control.

High Internals believe their actions and free will directly determine their outcomes; High Externals believe outcomes are dictated by external forces, luck, or fate[cite: 317].

How do High Self-Monitors behave compared to Low Self-Monitors in social settings?

High Self-Monitors observe social cues and adapt their behavior like actors (performing well in sales/leadership, but experiencing role stress); Low Self-Monitors act consistently with inner feelings regardless of context[cite: 317].

What does Behavioral Plasticity Theory state regarding individuals with low self-esteem?

People with low self-esteem are more pliable and susceptible to external social influence because they lack confidence in their own views and actively seek social approval[cite: 317].

Are Positive Affectivity (PA) and Negative Affectivity (NA) opposite ends of the same spectrum?

No; PA and NA are independent emotional dimensions. An individual can score high or low on both simultaneously[cite: 317].

What dispositional characteristic describes a person who actively takes personal initiative to challenge the status quo and create positive environment change?

Proactive Personality[cite: 317].

Define General Self-Efficacy (GSE).

A broad, motivational trait reflecting an individual’s general belief in their ability to perform successfully across a wide variety of challenging situations[cite: 317].

What four distinct personality traits make up Core Self-Evaluations (CSEs)?

Self-Esteem, General Self-Efficacy, Locus of Control, and Emotional Stability (Neuroticism)[cite: 317].

What is Imposter Phenomenon (Imposter Syndrome) and how does it affect workplace well-being?

The persistent belief that one's success is due to luck rather than competence, driven by fear of exposure as a fraud; it correlates with anxiety, depression, and emotional exhaustion[cite: 317].

What constitutes formal "Learning" in an organizational context?

A relatively permanent change in behavior potential that occurs as a direct result of practice or experience (excluding changes from illness, fatigue, or drugs)[cite: 317].

What are the four primary categories of skills that employees learn in organizations?

Practical Skills, Intrapersonal Skills, Interpersonal Skills, and Cultural Awareness[cite: 317].

What is the foundational principle of Operant Learning Theory?

Learning occurs because the subject operates on the environment to achieve consequences; behavior is controlled and shaped by its post-consequences[cite: 317].

Differentiate between Positive Reinforcement and Negative Reinforcement.

Positive Reinforcement adds a pleasant stimulus to increase a desired behavior; Negative Reinforcement removes an unpleasant/aversive stimulus to increase a desired behavior[cite: 317].

How do managers err when they confuse "Rewards" with "Reinforcers"?

Rewards are only reinforcers if they actually increase the desired behavior. If a reward is given regardless of performance (e.g., overtime based strictly on seniority), it fails to reinforce desired output[cite: 317].

Which reinforcement schedule is best for fast skill acquisition versus long-term behavioral persistence?

Continuous and immediate reinforcement is best for fast acquisition; partial and delayed reinforcement builds persistence against extinction[cite: 317].

Define Extinction in Operant Learning and explain how it is best implemented.

Extinction is terminating the reinforcement maintaining an unwanted behavior to dissipate it; it works best when paired with positive reinforcement for a desirable alternative behavior[cite: 317].

What is Punishment, and what is its primary operational limitation?

Punishment applies an aversive stimulus to reduce an unwanted behavior. Its primary limitation is that it only tells people what NOT to do, not what they SHOULD do[cite: 317].

How can managers inadvertently punish desirable employee behavior?

By penalizing efficient, high-performing workers with extra work assignments while allowing slower peers to work less[cite: 317].

What are two crucial requirements for punishment to be effective in the workplace?

Punishment must be applied immediately following the unwanted behavior, and managers must provide a clear, acceptable alternative response[cite: 317].

What is the core framework of Social Cognitive Theory (SCT)?

Triadic Reciprocal Causation: human behavior is regulated through continuous, interactive influences between personal cognitive factors, behavior, and environmental factors[cite: 317].

Define Observational Learning (Modeling) under Social Cognitive Theory.

Learning new behaviors or attitudes by observing and imitating the actions and consequences of competent, high-status, and attractive models[cite: 317].

How does Task-Specific Self-Efficacy differ from General Self-Efficacy (GSE)?

Task-Specific Self-Efficacy is a dynamic belief in performing a specific task successfully, whereas GSE is a broad, stable trait covering generalized life challenges[cite: 317].

What are the four primary sources used to build Task-Specific Self-Efficacy?

Performance mastery (past successes), observation (modeling), verbal persuasion, and physiological/emotional states[cite: 317].

What is Self-Regulation in Social Cognitive Theory?

The process of using learning principles to manage one's own behavior through self-observation, goal setting, self-evaluation, and self-reinforcement[cite: 317].

Differentiate between Discrepancy Production and Discrepancy Reduction in self-regulation.

Discrepancy Production occurs when individuals set higher, challenging goals for themselves; Discrepancy Reduction occurs when they perform tasks to attain those goals and close the gap[cite: 317].

What is Organizational Behaviour Modification (O.B. Mod)?

The systematic application of operant learning principles (like positive reinforcement and performance feedback) to modify observable workplace behaviors[cite: 317].

What three elements are mandatory for an Employee Recognition Program to be effective?

Public acknowledgment, explicit managerial or peer praise, and a tangible token or symbol of recognition[cite: 317].

What is the structural difference between Employee Training and Employee Development?

Training facilitates knowledge and skill acquisition for the employee's CURRENT job; Development prepares employees for FUTURE job responsibilities and roles[cite: 317].

What are the sequential steps of Behaviour Modelling Training (BMT)?

Describe desired skills $\rightarrow$ Model behavior $\rightarrow$ Provide practice opportunities $\rightarrow$ Give feedback and reinforcement $\rightarrow$ Maximize job transfer[cite: 317].

Why do high self-evaluators (positive Core Self-Evaluations) experience higher job satisfaction?

They perceive their jobs as more challenging and rewarding, hold higher beliefs in their capabilities, and focus on positive aspects of work environment controls[cite: 317].

What is the primary danger of neglecting preference diversity when designing organizational rewards?

Assuming all employees value the same reinforcers (e.g., cash vs. time off) leads to wasted resources and unmotivated staff across different generations or demographics[cite: 317].