MHR Exam 1

Chapter 1: Introduction to Organizational Behavior

  • Organizational Behavior (OB) – The study of how individuals, groups, and structure impact behavior within an organization to improve effectiveness.

  • Systematic Study – The use of scientific methods to predict and explain behavior in organizations.

  • Evidence-Based Management (EBM) – Making decisions based on proven research rather than intuition.

  • Behavioral Sciences in OB:

    • Psychology – Studies individual behavior, emotions, and personality.

    • Sociology – Examines group behavior and social structures.

    • Anthropology – Focuses on cultures and human behavior.

    • Political Science – Studies power, conflict, and governance within organizations.

  • Workforce Diversity – A mix of different demographic traits (age, gender, race, etc.) within an organization.

  • Gig Economy – A labor market with short-term contracts and freelance work instead of full-time jobs.

  • Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) – Organizational efforts to improve societal well-being beyond financial performance.

  • Work-Life Balance – Maintaining equilibrium between job responsibilities and personal life.

  • Managerial Roles in OB:

    • Effective Manager – Focuses on performance, employee satisfaction, and development.

    • Successful Manager – Focuses on networking and promotions.

Chapter 2: Diversity in Organizations

  • Diversity – Differences among individuals in gender, race, ethnicity, age, disability, and other characteristics.

  • Social Identity Theory – People categorize themselves and others into groups, influencing self-concept and biases.

  • Surface-Level Diversity – Observable characteristics such as age, gender, race, and ethnicity.

  • Deep-Level Diversity – Traits that are not immediately visible, like values, personality, and work styles.

  • Stereotype – A general belief about a group that may not be accurate for individuals.

  • Stereotype Threat – Fear of being judged based on a stereotype, which can impact performance.

  • Discrimination – Treating individuals unfairly based on characteristics such as gender, race, or age.

  • Glass Ceiling – An invisible barrier that prevents minorities and women from advancing to higher leadership positions.

  • Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) – Law requiring employers to provide reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities.

  • Diversity Management – Organizational strategies to create inclusive environments and maximize the benefits of workforce diversity.

  • Diversity Training – Programs that educate employees on diversity and inclusion to promote fair treatment.

Chapter 4: Emotions and Moods

  • Emotions – Intense, short-lived feelings caused by specific events (e.g., anger, happiness, sadness).

  • Moods – Less intense, longer-lasting emotional states without a specific cause (e.g., positive mood, negative mood).

  • Emotional Labor – The process of managing emotions to fulfill job roles and display appropriate emotions at work.

  • Surface Acting – Hiding true emotions while displaying required emotions.

  • Deep Acting – Changing inner emotions to match required workplace emotions.

  • Emotional Dissonance – A conflict between felt and displayed emotions, leading to stress and burnout.

  • Affective Events Theory (AET) – Workplace events trigger emotional reactions, which influence job performance and satisfaction.

  • Emotional Intelligence (EI) – The ability to recognize, understand, and regulate emotions in oneself and others. Components:

    • Self-awareness – Recognizing one’s own emotions.

    • Self-regulation – Controlling emotions.

    • Motivation – Using emotions to achieve goals.

    • Empathy – Understanding others' emotions.

    • Social skills – Managing relationships effectively.

  • Emotional Contagion – The tendency of emotions to spread from one person to another in social interactions.

  • Emotion Regulation – Strategies to manage emotions, such as:

    • Cognitive Reappraisal – Reframing how one thinks about a situation.

    • Social Sharing – Talking about emotions to release tension.

    • Mindfulness – Focusing on the present moment to manage emotions.

Chapter 6: Perception

  • Perception – The process of interpreting and organizing sensory impressions to understand the environment.

  • Attribution Theory – Explains how individuals determine whether behavior is internally or externally caused based on:

    • Consensus – Do others behave the same way in similar situations?

    • Distinctiveness – Does the person behave differently in different situations?

    • Consistency – Does the person behave the same way over time?

  • Fundamental Attribution Error – The tendency to overestimate internal factors (personal traits) and underestimate external factors (situational influences) when judging others.

  • Self-Serving Bias – The tendency to attribute personal successes to internal factors and failures to external factors.

  • Selective Perception – Focusing only on information that aligns with one's beliefs while ignoring contradicting data.

  • Halo Effect – Forming an overall positive impression of someone based on one favorable trait.

  • Horns Effect – Forming a negative impression of someone based on one unfavorable trait.

  • Contrast Effect – Judging someone’s characteristics based on comparisons with people encountered recently.

  • Stereotyping – Categorizing individuals based on group membership and assuming they share the same characteristics.

  • Employment Interview Bias – The tendency of interviewers to form quick judgments about candidates, often within the first few minutes.

  • Performance Evaluation Bias – Managers' subjective perceptions influence employee assessments, leading to unfair evaluations.

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