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FC603 Written Report On Attitude Behavior - Character - Rhea Torres - 110720 - MAED
FC603 Written Report On Attitude Behavior - Character - Rhea Torres - 110720 - MAED
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FC603
HUMAN BEHAVIOUR IN ORGANIZATION
WRIITEN REPORT
Submitted by:
RHEA J. TORRES
MaEd Student
Submitted to:
First Semester
07 November 2020
Pamantasan ng Cabuyao
Katapatan Subdivision, Banay-Banay, Cabuyao Laguna
graduate school
What's your opinion on the death penalty? Which political party does a better job of
running the country? Should prayer be allowed in schools? Should violence on television be
regulated? Should abortion be legalized for underaged teenage unwed mothers?
Chances are that you probably have fairly strong opinions on these and similar
questions. You've developed attitudes about such issues, and these attitudes influence your
beliefs as well as your behavior.
What exactly is an attitude? How does it develop or form? Can we change it? What
factors affect it? Can we maintain the change?
An attitude can be defined as a predisposition or a tendency to respond in a
favorable or unfavorable way to objects or persons in one’s environment.
When we like or dislike something, we are, in effect, expressing our attitude toward
the person or object.
First, an attitude is a hypothetical construct; that is, although its consequences can
be observed, the attitude itself cannot.
(1) a cognitive component, dealing with the beliefs and ideas a person has about a person
or object;
(2) an affective component (affect), dealing with a person’s feelings toward the person or
object; and
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3 Components of Attitudes
Researchers also suggest that there are several different components that make up
attitudes.
One can see this by looking at the three components of an attitude: cognition, affect
and behavior.
1. Cognitive Component.
2. Affective Component.
3. Behavioral Component.
Cognitive Component
The cognitive component of attitudes refers to the beliefs, thoughts, and attributes
that we would associate with an object. It is the opinion or belief segment of an attitude. It
refers to that part of attitude which is related in general knowledge of a person.
Typically, these come to light in generalities or stereotypes, such as ‘all babies are
cute’, ‘smoking is harmful to health’ etc.
Pamantasan ng Cabuyao
Katapatan Subdivision, Banay-Banay, Cabuyao Laguna
graduate school
Affective Component
It deals with feelings or emotions that are brought to the surface about something,
such as fear or hate. Using the above example, someone might have the attitude that they
love all babies because they are cute or that they hate smoking because it is harmful to
health.
Behavioral Component
Using the above example, the behavioral attitude maybe- ‘I cannot wait to kiss the
baby’, or ‘we better keep those smokers out of the library, etc.
Now that we know what an attitude is, let us consider how attitudes are formed and
how they influence behavior.
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his behavior. Let us examine each of these components of the model separately, beginning
with the process of attitude formation.
Evidence in support of this approach can be found in a series of studies that found
that attitudes change very little among people before and after they make a job change. To
the extent that these findings are correct, managers may have little influence over
improving job attitudes short of trying to select and hire only those with appropriate
dispositions.
Several variations on this approach can be identified. Some researchers suggest that
attitudes result largely from the nature of the job experience itself. That is, an employee
might reason: “I don’t get along well with my supervisor; therefore, I become dissatisfied
with my job.”
To the extent that this accurately describes how attitudes are formed, it also implies
that attitudes can be changed relatively easily. For example, if employees are dissatisfied
Pamantasan ng Cabuyao
Katapatan Subdivision, Banay-Banay, Cabuyao Laguna
graduate school
with their job because of conflicts with supervisors, either changing supervisors or changing
the supervisors’ behavior may be viable means of improving employee job attitudes. In
other words, if attitudes are largely a function/result of the situation, then attitudes can be
changed by altering the situation.
1. Social Factors
Every society has the majority of people who prefer to lead a harmonious life. They
try to avoid unnecessary friction of conflicts with people.
Naturally, they are inclined to develop positive attitudes towards most of the people
and issues.
Our attitudes may facilitate and maintain our relationships with members of
positively valued groups. Social roles and social norms can have a strong influence on
attitudes.
Social roles relate to how people are expected to behave in a particular role or
context. Social norms involve society’s rules for what behaviors are considered appropriate.
2. Direct Instruction
In general, the individual being a conformist leaning towards the direction of the
attitude of the people it deems important. Sometimes direct instruction can influence
attitude formation.
For example, somebody gives information about the usefulness of some fruit.
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3. Family
The family is the most powerful source for the formation of attitudes. The parents,
or any significant caretaker provide information about various things.
4. Prejudices
Prejudices are preconceived ideas or judgments where one develops some attitudes
toward other people, objects, etc.
If we are prejudiced against a person, who is, accused of a crime, we may regard
him as guilty regardless of the evidence. We can also be prejudiced in favor of something.
5. Personal Experience
Therefore, the attitude will be more easily formed when personal experience involves
emotional factors.
6. Media
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7. Educational and Religious Institutions
Understanding the good and the bad, the dividing line between something that can
and cannot be done is obtained from the walls of the educational and religious institutions.
8. Physical Factors
Clinical psychologists have generally recognized that physical health and vitality are
important factors in determining adjustment, and frequently it has been found that
malnutrition or disease or accidents have interfered so seriously with normal development
that serious behavioral disturbances have followed.
Regardless of how the attitudes are formed (either through the dispositional or
situational approach), the next problem we face is understanding how resulting behavioral
intentions guide actual behavior. Clearly, this relationship is not a perfect one.
Despite one’s intentions, various internal and external constraints often serve to
modify an intended course of action. Hence, even though you decide to join the union, you
may be prevented from doing so for a variety of reasons. Similarly, a person may have
every intention of coming to work but may get the flu. Regardless of intent, other factors
that also determine actual behavior often enter the picture.
Behavioral Justification
Finally, people often feel a need for behavioral justification to ensure that their
behaviors are consistent with their attitudes toward the event. This tendency is
called cognitive consistency.
When people find themselves acting in a fashion that is inconsistent with their
attitudes—when they experience cognitive dissonance—they experience tension and
attempt to reduce this tension and return to a state of cognitive consistency.
For example, a manager may hate his job but be required to work long hours.
Pamantasan ng Cabuyao
Katapatan Subdivision, Banay-Banay, Cabuyao Laguna
graduate school
Hence,
he is
faced
with a
clear
discrepancy between an attitude (dislike of the job) and a behavior (working long hours)
and will probably experience cognitive dissonance.
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Alternatively, he can change his attitude toward the job to a more positive one. He
may, for example, convince himself that the job is really not that bad and that working long
hours may lead to rapid promotion.
Failure to do so will more than likely lead to increased stress and withdrawal from
the job situation.
In a nutshell, in order to minimize the dissonance between your conflicting attitude and
behavior, you either have to change the attitude or change your actions.
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Parameter of
Attitude Behavior
Comparison
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What Is Cognitive Dissonance?
There are a number of different situations that can create conflicts that lead to cognitive
dissonance.
Pamantasan ng Cabuyao
Katapatan Subdivision, Banay-Banay, Cabuyao Laguna
graduate school
1. Forced Compliance
Sometimes you might find yourself engaging in behaviors that are opposed to your
own beliefs due to external expectations, often for work, school, or a social situation. This
might involve going along with something due to peer pressure or doing something at work
to avoid getting fired.
2. New Information
3. Decisions
Pamantasan ng Cabuyao
Katapatan Subdivision, Banay-Banay, Cabuyao Laguna
graduate school
People make decisions, both large and small, on a daily basis. When faced with two
similar choices, people often are left with feelings of dissonance because both options are
equally appealing.
Once a choice has been made, however, people need to find a way to reduce these
feelings of discomfort. People accomplish this by justifying why their choice was the best
option so that they can believe that they made the right decision.
4. Influences
The degree of dissonance people experience can depend on a few different factors,
including how highly they value a particular belief and the degree to which their beliefs are
inconsistent.
Pamantasan ng Cabuyao
Katapatan Subdivision, Banay-Banay, Cabuyao Laguna
graduate school
Cognitive dissonance can make people feel uneasy and uncomfortable, particularly if
the disparity between their beliefs and behaviors involves something that is central to their
sense of self.
For example, behaving in ways that are not aligned with your personal values may
result in intense feelings of discomfort. Your behavior contradicts not just the beliefs you
have about the world, but also the beliefs that you have about yourself.
This discomfort can manifest itself in a variety of ways. People may feel:
Anxiety
Embarrassment
Regret
Sadness
Shame
Stress
Cognitive dissonance can even influence how people feel about and view
themselves, leading to negative feelings of low self-esteem and low self-worth.
Because people want to avoid this discomfort, cognitive dissonance can have a wide
range of effects. Dissonance can play a role in how people act, think, and make decisions.
They may engage in behaviors or adopt attitudes to help relieve the discomfort caused by
the conflict.
Pamantasan ng Cabuyao
Katapatan Subdivision, Banay-Banay, Cabuyao Laguna
graduate school
Some things that a person might do to cope with these feelings include:
Adopting beliefs or ideas to help justify or explain away the conflict between their
beliefs or behaviors. This can sometimes involve blaming other people or outside
factors.
Hiding their beliefs or behaviors from other people. People may feel ashamed of
their conflicting beliefs and behaviors, so hiding the disparity from others can help
minimize feelings of shame and guilt.
Only seeking out information that confirms their existing beliefs. This phenomenon,
known as the confirmation bias, affects the ability to think critically about a
situation but helps minimize feelings of dissonance.
At work, you have a fairly private cubicle. Your computer use isn’t monitored, and
you often find yourself browsing the internet or even catching up on TV shows instead of
working.
Sure, you eventually get your work done, but you know you could be doing more.
You might feel guilty, knowing you’d be in trouble if anyone found out. But whenever you
get bored, you find yourself online again.
You read an article about workplace productivity that says people are more
productive when they work in short bursts and take frequent breaks. “I’m just increasing
my productivity,” you tell yourself.
After all, you rarely take time off. And when you do work, you work hard. You should
get to relax, too.
People like to believe that they are logical, consistent, and good at making decisions.
Cognitive dissonance can interfere with the perceptions people hold about themselves and
their abilities, which is why it can often feel so uncomfortable and unpleasant.
Functions of Attitude
Any particular attitude may satisfy one or more functions.
The most important function of an attitude can only be ascertained by considering
the person who holds it and the environment in which they operate.
Pamantasan ng Cabuyao
Katapatan Subdivision, Banay-Banay, Cabuyao Laguna
graduate school
Consequently, the same attitude may serve rather different purposes depending on
who holds it and where/when it becomes important to them.
Attitudes differ in strength.
4 functions of attitudes:
1. Adjustment/Utilitarian Function
Attitudes often help people to adjust to their work environment.
When employees are well treated, they are likely to develop a positive attitude
toward management and the organization.
When employees are criticized and given a minimal salary, they are likely to develop
a negative attitude towards management and the organization.
These attitudes help employees adjust to their environment and are a basis for
future behavior. The adjustment function directs people toward pleasurable or rewarding
objects and away from unpleasant, undesirable ones.
It serves the utilitarian (being concerned with usefulness rather attractiveness)
concept of maximizing reward and minimizing punishment.
2. Ego-Defensive Function
The ego-defensive function refers to holding attitudes that protect our self-esteem or
that justify actions that make us feel guilty.
This function involves psychoanalytic principles where people use defense
mechanisms to protect themselves from psychological harm.
Mechanisms include denial, repression, projection, rationalization, etc.
For example; an older manager whose decisions are continually challenged by a
younger subordinate manager may feel that the latter is brash, cocky, immature, and
inexperienced.
In truth, the younger subordinate may be right in challenging the decisions.
Pamantasan ng Cabuyao
Katapatan Subdivision, Banay-Banay, Cabuyao Laguna
graduate school
The older manager may not be a very effective leader and may constantly make
poor decisions.
On the other hand, the older manager is not going to admit this but will try to
protect the ego by blaming the other party.
3. Value-Expressive Function
Whereas ego defensive attitudes are formed to protect a person’s self-image, value-
expressive attitudes enable the expression of the person’s centrally held values.
Central values tend to establish our identity and gain us social approval thereby
showing us who we are, and what we stand for.
Some attitudes are important to a person because they express values that are
integral to that person’s self-concept.
Therefore, people adopt certain attitudes to translate their values into something
more tangible and easily expressed.
Our value-expressive attitudes are closely related to our self-concept.
One whose central value is freedom, the individual may express very positive
attitudes towards the decentralization of authority in the organization, flexible work
schedules, and relaxation of dress standards.
4. Knowledge Function
The knowledge function refers to our need for consistency and stability.
This allows us to predict what is likely to happen, and so gives us a sense of control.
Some attitudes are useful because they help to make the world more
understandable.
They help people ascribe causes to events and direct attention towards features of
people or situations that are likely to be useful in making sense of them.
Consequently, they help to make the world more understandable, predictable, and
knowable. Knowing a person’s attitude helps us predict their behavior.
Pamantasan ng Cabuyao
Katapatan Subdivision, Banay-Banay, Cabuyao Laguna
graduate school
For example, people who are not familiar with nuclear energy may develop an
attitude that it’s dangerous and should not be used as an energy source.
Stereotyping is another example.
In the absence of knowledge about a person, we may use a stereotyped attitude for
judging the person.
In more general terms, these functions are the motivational bases that shape and
reinforce positive attitudes toward goal objects perceived as need satisfying and/or
negative attitudes toward other objects perceived as punishing or threatening.
The functions themselves can help us to understand why people hold attitudes.
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Character and personality are often confused, since they both answer the question
of what type of person you are. Although character is related to personality, it is not the
same thing.
Character is a set of learned behavior traits that determine whether you will
effectively achieve goals, be forthright in dealing with others, and will obey the laws and
rules of the group. Whereas, your personality consists of inborn traits that are
demonstrated externally.
While character and personality are both used to describe someone’s behaviors, the
two examine different aspects of that individual. One’s personality is more visible, while
one’s character is revealed over time, through varying situations.
Both may vary with the situation or circumstances.
Character
Character is typically learned from your parents, teachers and friends. This learning
comes from being taught directly or from observations of others. Since it is learned, your
character can also change over time.
Character takes far longer to puzzle out. It includes traits that reveal themselves only
in specific—and often uncommon—circumstances, traits like honesty, virtue, and kindness.
It takes longer to discern but is easier to change. That’s because character is shaped by
beliefs, and with enough effort and motivation, changing one’s perspective and view of the
world can lead to a shift in one’s character.
Pamantasan ng Cabuyao
Katapatan Subdivision, Banay-Banay, Cabuyao Laguna
graduate school
The malleability of character makes sense when you look at human evolution. In
order for our ancestors to survive, they had to adapt to new environments and change with
the times—and this remains true in the modern era.
If an individual deems a change in his or her surroundings to be significant, then his
or her beliefs will transform to accommodate the change.
For instance, an individual who might have a shy personality can learn to switch his
attitude toward public speaking when stepping into the role of a teacher. The new social
and external demands lead to an internal shift that changes his demeanor.
In this way, even if an individual’s inborn preference is to shy away from the public,
the beliefs and values that shape his behavior can evolve to reflect the values of his
immediate groups and communities. Such awareness and adaptability help with survival.
The bottom line is, despite the significance of our inborn personality traits, we can
overcome them as required by personal or cultural demands.
Personality
People seem to be born with certain personality traits or tendencies. Some people
are shy, while others are outgoing and talkative. Some people seem to be leaders, while
others are analytical in their thinking.
A common way to classify your personality or disposition is whether you are an
extrovert or an introvert. That is, whether you tend to be outgoing or keep to yourself
more. Another classification is whether you tend to be task oriented or prefer social
engagements. This results in people having either a domineering, influencing, steady or
complying personality.
Personality is easier to spot, it’s largely static and slow to evolve. Personality is easy
to read, and we’re all experts at it. We judge people [as] funny, extroverted, energetic,
optimistic, confident—as well as overly serious, lazy, negative, and shy—if not upon first
meeting them, then shortly thereafter. And though we may need more than one interaction
to confirm the presence of these sorts of traits, by the time we decide they are, in fact,
present, we’ve usually amassed enough data to justify our conclusions.
Note that this is just one of several classification methods of the various personality
traits that people may have.
Pamantasan ng Cabuyao
Katapatan Subdivision, Banay-Banay, Cabuyao Laguna
graduate school
What is the point?
Learning about people’s attitudes, the factors that help formed their beliefs, their
behavior towards different situations and their character traits and personalities would
enable those in managing positions and colleagues to better maneuver through the intricate
and somewhat frustrating maze of the workplace environment.
It can help with our leadership style, to resolve conflicts more effectively, to
communicate more effectively, to understand how others make decisions, to coach others,
to improve sales skills and to retain key staff.
Self-awareness is one of those most essential skills for any professional,
regardless of what you do for a living. It can help lead to success in so many ways.
1. You’ll know your strengths.
When you know yourself, you know your strengths. This gives you a better
understanding of the unique qualities you bring to your interactions with others and to your
work. You can lean on your strengths during difficult times to help you and others get
through.
2. You’ll know your weaknesses.
Similarly, it’s important to understand your weaknesses in order to continue to grow
professionally. This is more difficult than it seems at first. It can be hard to take a good,
honest look in the mirror but self-awareness can help you pinpoint what you need to
improve.
3. You’ll know you’re only human.
We need to be self-aware enough to get that we’re only human in order to face our
strengths and our weaknesses with maturity. When you develop self-awareness, it makes it
easier to take the good with the bad, forgive yourself, and move forward.
4. You’ll better understand how others see you.
Self-awareness can help improve your career because it makes it easier to
understand how others see you. This is key for success. It’s essential to be aware of the
perceptions of higher-ups, of course, but it’s also important to know how you come off
when you’re working in a leadership capacity.
Pamantasan ng Cabuyao
Katapatan Subdivision, Banay-Banay, Cabuyao Laguna
graduate school
Put simply, the qualities commonly associated with management and leadership –
being authoritative, decisive, forceful, perhaps somewhat controlling, if not moderated by a
high degree of awareness as to how one comes across and is perceived by others, are also
qualities that have the potential to easily alienate those on the receiving end.
5. You’ll be a better leader.
Executives who are aware of their weaknesses are often better able to hire
subordinates who perform well in categories in which the leader lacks acumen. These
leaders are also more able to entertain the idea that someone on their team may have an
idea that is even better than their own.
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In a nutshell
Attitude is composed of three components, which include a cognitive component,
affective or emotional component, and a behavioral or conative component.
A rational individual attempts to be consistent between what he or she believes and
what he or she does. A rational person prefers consistency between his or her attitudes and
his or her behaviour. When attitudes and behaviour are consistent there is consonance.
When there is a conflict or inconsistency between attitudes and behaviour there is a tension
within the person. This tension is called cognitive dissonance.
Two alternatives are available - either change the attitude or change the behaviour
for dissonance reduction. Behaviour is usually more difficult to change, particularly when
that behaviour has been observed by others (it can’t be denied), was done voluntarily, and
can’t be undone and therefore people usually change their beliefs and feelings to reduce
the inconsistency.
In an organization, attitudes are important for their goal or objective to succeed.
Each one of these components is very different from the other, and they can build upon
one another to form our attitudes and, therefore, affect how we relate to the world.
Character and personality are related, but they are not the same thing. Personality is
inborn traits and character consists of learned behavior. Character may vary with the
situation or circumstances or may be purposely changed.
Self-awareness can help improve your career and how you can succeed in your both
your corporate and personal lives.
Pamantasan ng Cabuyao
Katapatan Subdivision, Banay-Banay, Cabuyao Laguna
graduate school
Figure 8. Summary of how attitudes are formed and how behavior is manifested
Pamantasan ng Cabuyao
Katapatan Subdivision, Banay-Banay, Cabuyao Laguna
graduate school
References
B. M. Staw and J. Ross, “Stability in the Midst of Change: A Dispositional Approach to Job
Attitudes,” Journal of Applied Psychology, 1985, 70, pp. 469–480.
L. Festinger, A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance (Palo Alto: Stanford University Press, 1957).
www.school-for-champions.com/character/character_versus_personality.htm
http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2008/01/07105336/3
https://opentextbc.ca/socialpsychology/chapter/exploring-attitudes/
https://www.verywellmind.com/attitudes-how-they-form-change-shape-behavior-2795897
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/theory-knowledge/201901/3-ways-explain-
human-behavior
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/happiness-in-world/201104/personality-vs-
character
https://www.iedunote.com/factors-influencing-attitude