Values & Attitudes

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Don't compare

yourself with any one in this world.

If you compare, you are insulting

yourself.

Contents

Introduction

Features

Components

Nature

Sources

Formation

Theories

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Value

Values represents basic convictions (certainty) that “a specific mode of conduct or end-state of existence is personally or socially preferable to an opposite or converse mode of conduct or end-state of existence”.

Content attributes- whatIntensity attributes - how

Values as the constellation of likes, dislikes, viewpoints, should inner inclinations, rational and irrational judgments, prejudices and association patterns that determine a personas view of the world.

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Types of Values –- Rokeach Value Survey

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Mean Value Rankings of Executives, Union Members,

and Activists

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Dominant Work Values in Today’s Workforce

Importance

To understand other individual determinants

Influence attitudes and behaviour

Culture differences

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Hofstede’s Five Value Dimensions

Power Distance

Individualism versus Collectivism

Quantity of life and Quality of Life

Uncertainty Avoidance

Long-term versus Short-term Orientation

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Hofstede’s Framework for Assessing Cultures

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Hofstede’s Framework (cont’d)

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Hofstede’s Framework (cont’d)

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Hofstede’s Framework (cont’d)

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Hofstede’s Framework (cont’d)

ATTITUDE

EVALUATIVE STATEMENTS EITHER FAVOURABLE OR UNFAVORABLE CONCERNINGOBJECTS, EVENTS OR PEOPLE.

ACCORDING TO KATZ AND SCOTLAND

‘ATTITUDE IS A TENDENCY OR A PREDISPOSITION TO EVALUATE AN OBJECT OR SYMBOL OF THAT OBJECT IN A CERTAIN WAY.

ACCORDING TO G.W.ALLPORT

ATTITUDE IS A MENTAL OR NEUTRAL STATE OF READINESS ,ORGANISED THROUGH EXPERIENCE, EXERTING A DIRECTIVE OR DYNAMIC UPON THE INDIVIDUAL’S RESPONSE .

ATTITUDES ARE MADE UP OF THREE COMPONENTS

COGNITIVE

AFFECTIVE

BEHAVIORAL

INFORMATION OR

COGNITIVE COMPONENT

AFFECTIVEOR

EMOTIONALCOMPONENT

BEHAVIORALCOMPONENT

ATTITUDE

COMPONENTS OF AN ATTITUDE

COGNITIVE COMPONENT

IT IS MADE UP OF VALUE STATEMENT.E.G.-‘DISCRIMINATION IS WRONG’

AFFECTIVE COMPONENT

IT IS THE EMOTIONAL OR FEELING SEGMENT OF AN ATTITUDE.E.G.-‘I DON’T LIKE RAM BECAUSE HE DISCRIMINATES AGAINST MINORITIES’

BEHAVIORAL COMPONENT

IT IS AN INTENTION TO BEHAVE IN A CERTAIN WAY TOWARD SOMEONE OR SOMETHINGE.G.-‘I MIGHT CHOOSE TO AVOID RAM BECAUSE OF MY FEELING ABOUT HIM’

FEATURES / CHARACTERISTICS

REFERS TO FEELINGS OR BELIEFS OF AN INDIVIDUAL.TEND TO RESULT IN BEHAVIOR.ATTITUDE CAN FALL ANYWHERE ALONG A CONTINUUM FROM VERY FAVOURABLE TO VERY UNFAVORABLE.ARE GRADUALLY ACQUIRED OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.ALL PEOPLE IRRESPECTIVE OF THEIR STATUS AND INTELLIGENCE HOLD ATTITUDES.CONSTITUTE A PSYCHOLOGICAL PHENOMENA WHICH CANNOT BE DIRECTLY OBSERVED.

FORMATION OR SOURCES OF ATTITUDES

DIRECT EXPERIENCE WITH OBJECT.

VICARIOUS LEARNING.

CLASSICAL CONDITIONING.

FAMILY AND PEER GROUP.

ECONOMIC STATUS AND OCCUPATION.

MASS COMMUNICATION.

TYPES OF ATTITUDESIN RELATION TO O.B

JOB SATISFACTION

JOBINVOLVEMENT

ORG.COMMITMENT

ATTITUDE

JOB SATISFACTION

GENERAL ATTITUDE OR FEELINGS OF A INDIVIDUAL TOWARDS HIS JOB.

JOB INVOLVEMENT

IT MEASURES THE DEGREE TO WHICH A PERSON IDENTIFIES PSYCHOLOGICALLY WITH HIS OR HER JOB AND CONSIDERS HIS OR HER PERCEIVED PERFORMANCE LEVEL IMPORTANT TO SELF WORTH.

ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT

IS A STATE IN WHICH AN EMPLOYEE IDENTIFIES WITH ONE’S EMPLOYING ORGANIZATION AND ITS GOALS AND WISHES TO MAINTAIN MEMBERSHIP IN THE ORGANISATION.

Function perform by attitude

Attitude determine meaning:-it determine meaning of what is seen in the environment.Favourable attitude enables the individual to find “GOOD” meaning whereas unfavourable attitude is linked with “BAD” meaning.

Attitude organise facts:-Interpretation of facts and derivation of meaning for the words,thoughts and feelings basically depend on the way they are organised.

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Attitude select facts:-attitude also facilitates the selection of facts.From a mass of objective information,an individual tends to select such facts as are favourable and consistent with his attitude and to ignore or discount those opposed.

The adjustment function:-attitude often help people adjust to their work environment.

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The ego defensive function:-people often form and maintain certain attitude to protect their own self image.

The value expressive function:-attitude provide people a basis for expressing their values.

The knowledge function:-attitude is often substituted for knowledge .In the absence of knowledge,we use our attitude to organise and make sense out of perceived object or person.

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THEORIES OF ATTITUDE FORMATION

COGNITIVE DISSONANCE THEORY.

MEASURING A-B RELATIONSHIP THEORY.

SELF-PERCEPTION THEORY.

The Theory of Cognitive Dissonance

Desire to reduce dissonance

• Importance of elements creating dissonance

• Degree of individual influence over elements

• Rewards involved in dissonance

Desire to reduce dissonance

• Importance of elements creating dissonance

• Degree of individual influence over elements

• Rewards involved in dissonance

Measuring the A-B Relationship

Recent research indicates that the attitudes (A) significantly predict behaviors (B) when moderating variables are taken into account.

Moderating Variables

• Importance of the attitude

• Specificity of the attitude

• Accessibility of the attitude

• Social pressures on the individual

• Direct experience with the attitude

Moderating Variables

• Importance of the attitude

• Specificity of the attitude

• Accessibility of the attitude

• Social pressures on the individual

• Direct experience with the attitude

Self-Perception Theory

Sources of attitude

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Direct personal experience:-attitudes are formed on the basis of one’s past experience is concerned object or person.

Association:-a new attitude object may be associated with an old attitude object and the attitude towards the latter may be transferred towards the former.

Social learning:-attitudes are also learnt from others as for example from parents,teachers superiors,models etc.

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Formation of attitudes

Psychological factor

Family factor

Neighbourhood

Role model in one’s life

Institutional factor

Social factors

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Psychological factor

The Psychological make-up of a person is made up of his perception, ideas, beliefs, values etc. It has a crucial role in determining a person’s attitudes.

Eg.if a person perceives that generally all superiors are exploitative, he is likely to develop a negative attitude towards his superiors who infact may not be exploitative.

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Family factor

During childhood, a person spends a major part of his time in the family. Thus , he learns from the family members.

Eg. A person from a middle class family may hold a different attitude toward spending than a person from an affluent family.

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Neighbourhood

The neighbourhood we live in has a certain structure in terms of its having cultural facilities , religious grouping, and possibly ethnic differences.

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Role model in one’s lifeSome of the attitudes are developed through imitation of models. The process is something like this: In a particular situation, we see how another person behaves. We correctly or incorrectly interpret his behaviour as representing certain attitudes and beliefs.Eg. Children are often quite observe about how their parents react to different people. They learn by watching whom their parents respect, whom they treat with reservation, whom they regard as friends and whom they dislike.

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Institutional factor

Many institutional factors functions as sources and support of our attitude and beliefs.

Eg. Consider the description of a certain temple aarati. When the people come into temple, they bow down to pray, sit with heads bowed. When pujari signals and is with aarati all starts singing bhajan and clap. The entire process is devoted to ritual.

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