ATTITUDES AND

VALUES
DR. MAHIMA RAINA
WHAT ARE ATTITUDES?

Are our evaluation of almost any aspect of the world

Attitudes stem from beliefs. Beliefs (as well as attitudes) can be

implicit and explicit

Attitudes have cognitive (thoughts/evaluations), affective (feelings)

and conative (behavioral intentions) – called ABC model
 Explicit attitudes are something you
are aware of and that impacts your
behaviour
ATTITUDES Example, what is your attitude about
work life balance, plastic use

There are also weak vs strong

attitudes AND implicit vs explicit
attitudes
DISCUSSION

What are some ways men and women

are stereotyped at workplaces?
HOW ARE Classical Conditioning- learning
ATTITUDES based on associations.
FORMED?
Examples, initially brand logos mean
nothing to us, but when paired with
something that naturally elicits a
reaction, it leads to action (purchase)
Classical conditioning can develop
attitudes either via direct or indirect
route
SOME FAMOUS COKE ADS
DIRECT ROUTE: ASSOCIATING POSITIVE STIMULI (GOOD TIME WITH
FRIENDS) + COKE → ACTION OF BUYING COKE
INDIRECT ROUTE
EXAMPLE:
 Job Satisfaction: Represents employees 'overall
evaluation of their jobs as favorable or
unfavorable. Higher job satisfaction means a
more positive attitude towards the job

JOB ATTITUDES Job Characteristics Model explains that job

satisfaction is determined by employees
'comparison of what job is currently providing
and what they would like it to provide.

Social processing view explains that rather

than the features of the job environment, job
satisfaction (and in general job attitudes) are
determined by the situations people face at work.
 Job Commitment: The attachment of the
individual to the organization leading to the
individual accepting org’s goals as their own,
desire to stay and work hard for it.

JOB ATTITUDES Strongest form of org commitment (affective

commitment) is formed when employees
perceive organizational justice, participative
decision making and job autonomy.

Commitment can be transactional (continuous

or normative)- forming out of fear of not
getting new opportunity or simply presence of
strong social contracts that makes us stay
WHAT LIES UNDERNEATH?

If we see the conditions under which job satisfaction and commitment develops (justice,
autonomy, social bonds, whether our needs are met by the organization)- what creates these
preferences?

(this means- let’s say I prefer work-life balance (this involves having more autonomy- choosing when I do
work. For the same, I require organization to be flexible about my physical presence in office. But, why
do I prefer work-life balance in the same place- what made me value it?)
VALUES OFTEN LEAD TO RIGID ATTITUDES

• The principles that help us decide what is wrong and right, and how to act in different
situations

• Organizations also have values and each individual has different set of values

• Values – because they are mostly rigid- strongly entrenched – take time to change (if at
all!!)
DISCUSSION

What happens when values come at loggerhead with other people/situations/organizations?

How does it affect employees and organizations?

 FIRST RESORT: PERSUASION

• Persuasion is a process through which we attempt to change the attitudes of person/group.

• Elaboration Likelihood Model of persuasion suggests that persuasion can occur through distinct routes:

- Central Route : Attitude change resulting from systematic processing of information contained in persuasive messages. In this the receiver
finds the message important, personally relevant due to which no external factors prevent the individual from devoting careful attention to it-
leading to a detailed, more careful interpretation of the message. They evaluate the strength of the arguments, and if reactions are favourable,
attitudes alter
- Peripheral Route: In this route, the message is peripherally interpreted. Usually, the reasons for attending to the message are some
positive associations, or positive features of the messages (e.g., attractiveness). Attitudes changes many occur in these cases as well, however,
in the absence of critical analysis.
SECOND: COGNITIVE DISSONANCE

We all behave in ways that do not represent our real attitudes, much of that is attributed to forced
compliance- which are situations in which we feel compelled to act in ways that are inconsistent with our
attitudes

In such situations we are engaging in attitude-discrepant behaviour, which may sometimes produce changes
in attitude we hold

This change happens because when we engage in attitude-discrepant behaviour, it causes unpleasant feelings
in us (means when we notice a difference between what we believe and what we are doing)
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE EXPERIENCE
COGNITIVE DISSONANCE?
• Find more information that supports our attitudes or behavior
• Engage in trivialization- concluding that the attitudes or behaviors in question are not
important
• Change our attitude
EXPLORING VALUES : EXERCISE

Step 1: Refer to the Core Values List shared with you.

Step 2: From the list, choose and write down every core value that resonates with
you. Do not overthink your selection. As you read through the list, simply write down the
words that feel like a core value to you personally.
Step 3: Within each category, write down what feels relevant to you.
Step 4: Zero down your categories to maximum five
Step 5: Choose One Word Within Each Group that Represents the Label for the Entire
Group
Step 6: Add a Verb to Each Value Label
TOPICS TO BE COVERED FROM THE TEXTBOOK

• ABC Model
• Definition of Attitudes and Values
• Types of values: terminal and instrumental
• Job relevant attitudes- commitment and satisfaction
• Cognitive Dissonance