ATTITUDES

Module III

Learning Objectives

• Defining Attitude & Components
• Formation of Attitudes
• Function of Attitude
• Changing Attitudes
• Barriers to Change & Minimization Strategies

What Are Attitudes?

• Definition:
  • Attitudes refer to the beliefs, feelings, and action tendencies of individuals or groups toward objects, ideas, and people.
  • Attitudes are often formed through associations in the minds of individuals between persons, objects, or ideas, leading to multidimensional and complex views.

Components of Attitudes

1. Behavioral Component

• Description:
  • An intention to behave in a certain way toward someone or something.
  • This component reflects how one intends to act based on their attitudes.

2. Affective Component

• Description:
  • The emotional or feeling segment of an attitude.
  • This encompasses the emotional responses tied to attitudes, such as feelings of joy, anger, or sadness toward a subject.

3. Cognitive Component

• Description:
  • The opinion or belief segment of an attitude.
  • This includes the thoughts and beliefs that individuals hold regarding the object of the attitude.

How Are Attitudes Formed?

Factors Influencing Attitude Formation

1. Experience
   • Direct personal experiences shape an individual’s attitude.
2. Social Roles & Norms
   • Roles assigned in social contexts influence attitudes.
3. Classical & Operant Conditioning
   • Conditioning techniques affect how attitudes are developed through reinforcement and association.
4. Observational Learning
   • Individuals develop attitudes by observing others in their environment.

Methods of Attitude Formation

• Mass Communication: The influence of media on attitude development.
• Economic Status: The impact of individuals’ financial situations.
• Neighborhood & Family: Proximity to others and familial influences play roles in shaping attitudes.
• Vicarious Learning: Acquiring attitudes by observing the experiences of others.

Types of Attitudes

Job Satisfaction

• Definition:
  • A positive feeling regarding one’s job, stemming from an evaluation of its characteristics.

Application: Attitude Surveys

• Description:
  • Attitude surveys elicit responses from employees through questionnaires regarding their feelings about jobs, work groups, supervisors, and the organization.

Measuring Job Satisfaction

Methods

1. Single Global Rating: A general assessment of job satisfaction.
2. Summation Score: A comprehensive score derived from assessing multiple job facets.

Factors Influencing Job Satisfaction

• Work Itself
• Pay
• Advancement Opportunities
• Supervision Quality
• Coworkers
• Interesting Jobs Providing Training
• Variety & Independence in Tasks

The Effect of Job Satisfaction on Employee Performance

Relationships

1. Satisfaction and Productivity
   • Higher productivity in organizations with satisfied workers.
2. Satisfaction and Absenteeism
   • Satisfied employees show fewer avoidable absences.
3. Satisfaction and Turnover
   • Satisfied workers are less likely to quit.

• Organizations focus on creating environments that cultivate high performers and eliminate lower performer segments.

Factors Affecting Job Satisfaction

1. Autonomy & Independence
2. Benefits
3. Career Advancement Opportunities
4. Career Development Opportunities
5. Compensation/Pay
6. Communication between Employees and Management
7. Contribution of Work to Business Goals
8. Feeling Safe in Work Environment
9. The Nature of Work Itself
10. The Variety of Work
11. Flexibility to Balance Life & Work
12. Job Security
13. Job Specific Training
14. Management Recognition of Employee Job Performance
15. Meaningfulness of Job
16. Networking Opportunities
17. Opportunities to Utilize Skills/Abilities
18. Organizational Commitment to Professional Development
19. Overall Corporate Culture
20. Relationships with Coworkers
21. Relationships with Supervisors

Responses to Job Dissatisfaction

Categories

1. Destructive Responses: Active

• EXIT: Leaving the organization.

2. Destructive Responses: Passive

• VOICE: Constructively attempting to improve conditions.

3. Constructive Responses:

• NEGLECT: Allowing conditions to worsen without action.
• LOYALTY: Passively waiting for conditions to improve.

Organizational Commitment

• Definition:
  • The degree to which an employee identifies with a specific organization and its goals and wishes to maintain membership in that organization.

Types of Organizational Commitment

1. Affective Commitment:
   • Characterized by staying because one wants to; derives from being rewarded in the job.
   • Example: "My job is rewarding, and I enjoy coming to work each day."
2. Continuance Commitment:
   • Staying due to perceived costs associated with leaving; involves a need to stay because of salary and benefits.
   • Example: "My salary and benefits get me a nice house in a nice area."
3. Normative Commitment:
   • Staying because of a sense of obligation or loyalty; often involves investment in personal growth.
   • Example: "My boss has invested so much time in training and mentoring me."

Changing Attitudes

Individual/Self Strategies

1. Be aware of one’s attitudes.
2. Think independently.
3. Realize the lack of benefits from negative attitudes.
4. Keep an open mind.
5. Engage in continuous education programs.
6. Build positive self-esteem.
7. Avoid negative influences.

Others/Employees Strategies

1. Provide feedback.
2. Highlight positive conditions.
3. Act as positive role models.
4. Provide new information to influence attitudes.
5. Utilize aspects of fear (if effective).
6. Leverage influence from friends or media.
7. Explore group memberships.
8. Implement reward systems.

Job Satisfaction and Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB)

• Definition:
  • Job satisfaction positively correlates with OCB, where satisfied employees who feel fairly treated are more likely to engage in behaviors exceeding normal job expectations.
• Examples of OCB Behaviors:
  • Speaking positively about the organization.
  • Assisting colleagues.
  • Exceeding standard job expectations and duties.