ATTITUDES
AND
VALUES
What is Attitude ?
Attitude are feelings and beliefs that largely determine
how employees will perceive their environment, commit
themselves to intended actions, and ultimately behave.
Attitudes form a mental set that affects how we view
something else, much as a window provides a framework
for our view into or out of a building.
According to G.W. Allport, “ Attitude is a mental and
neutral state of readiness, organised through
experience, exerting a directive or dynamic
influence upon the individual,s response to all
objects and situations with which it is related ’’
According to Bernard, “Social attitudes are
individual attitudes directed towards social
objects and individual attitudes strongly interconditioned by collective or group contacts ’’
Nature of Attitude
❏ Attitudes are learned.
❏ Attitudes refers to feelings and beliefs of an individual or a group of people.
❏ These feelings and beliefs define one’s predispositions towards aspects of
the world.
❏ Attitudes endure, unless something happens. For example if X is transferred
to day shift his attitude may become positive.
❏ Attitudes can fall anywhere along a continuum for very favourable to very
unfavourable. Such expressions as ‘’ This B-School is good’’ , ‘’ This leader
is corrupt and incompetent’’ are heard from people.
Components of Attitudes
IN GENERAL, ATTITUDES COMPRISES OF THREE ELEMENTS.
THEY ARE :
The ABC Model
The three components of attitudes
i.e. affection , behaviour and
cognitive or beliefs are called as
ABC model. The significance of the
model is that to thoroughly
understand an attitude, one must
assess all the 3 components. It is
only behavioural component which
can be directly observed whereas
other 2 components can only be
inferred.
Experience with
the object
Mass
Communication
Economic
Status
Neighbourhood
ATTITUDES
FFamily and
Peer Groups
Functions Of Attitudes
Ego
Defensive
Adjustment
Ego
Attitude
Attitude
Knowledge
Value
Expression
Changing Attitudes
Employee attitudes need to be changed , particularly
when they are unfavourable. It is in the best interest of the
organisation to change attitudes. But changing the
attitudes is a difficult task as attitudes generally endure.
Difficulty is reinforced because of the escalation of
commitment , cognitive dissonance , and insufficient
information .
Ways Of Changing
Changing attitudes of SELF
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Be aware of one’s attitude
Think for self
Keep an open mind
Build a positive self- esteem
Stay away from negative
influences
Changing attitudes of EMPLOYEES
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Give feedback
Accentuated positive conditions
Positive role model
Providing new information
Use of fear
Influence of friends or press
Group membership
Rewards
Basis For Change
❏ Compliance
(change in behaviour based on consequences)
❏ Identification
(change of beliefs and affect in order to be
similar to someone who admires or dislikes)
❏ Internalization
(change in beliefs and affect when one finds the
content of the attitude to be intrinsically rewarding,
and thus leading to actual change in beliefs or
evaluation towards an object)
Barriers to changing attitudes
❏ Prior Commitments
❏ Strong Commitment
❏ Publicity Expressed Attitudes
❏ Low Credibility
❏ Insufficient Information
❏ Degree of Fear
Ways of overcoming Barriers
❏ Providing New Information
❏ Use of Fear
❏ Resolving Discrepancies
❏ Influence of Friends or Peers
❏ The Co-opting Approach
❏ Oral Pursuation Technique
❏ Training Sessions
Theories Of Attitude
Formation
CognitiveConsistency
Theories
Functional
Theories
Social
Judgement
Theories
COGNITIVE CONSISTENCY THEORIES
(A)Balance Theory
Balance Theory is a motivational theory of attitude change, proposed by Fritz Heider. It conceptualizes
the cognitive consistency motive as a drive toward psychological balance. The consistency motive is
the urge to maintain one's values and beliefs over time. Heider proposed that "sentiment" or liking
relationships are balanced if the affect valence in a system multiplies out to a positive result..
Analytically, Balance Theory can be described as follows:
●
P: the a person to analyse
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O: A comparison person (O)
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X: A comparison 'thing', such as a impersonal entity, which could be a physical object,
P
+/-
an idea or an event. This may also be a third person.
O
X
+/-
(B)Congruity Theory
Congruity model of attitude change was proposed by C.E. Osgood and
P.H,Tannenbaum. It focuses on the changes in the evaluation of a source and a concept,
they are linked by an associative or dissociative assertion. Congruity is a stable stage
and incongruity is an unstable one. As a result, incongruity leads to a change of attitude.
This theory states how much change should be there in the attitudes towards the source
and the concept so the incongruity is resolved.
(C )
Affective Cognitive Consistency Theory
M.J Rosenberg suggested this theory.The Theory of Cognitive Consistency states that
behavior which is at odds with an established attitude demands change. This change
usually takes the form of altering the original attitude to conform more with the actual
behavior. Accordingly, when a person behaves differently, she/he will also change
his/her attitude about him/herself.
(D)Cognitive Dissonance Theory
In psychology, cognitive dissonance is the mental stress or
discomfort experienced by an individual who holds two or more
contradictory beliefs, ideas, or values at the same time, or is
confronted by new information that conflicts with existing beliefs,
ideas, or values.
Leon Festinger's theory of cognitive dissonance focuses on how
humans strive for internal consistency. When inconsistency
(dissonance) is experienced, individuals tend to become
psychologically uncomfortable and are motivated to attempt to
reduce this dissonance, as well as actively avoiding situations and
information which are likely to increase it.
FUNCTIONAL THEORY
This theory was suggested by Katz.
It focuses on 2 things :
❏ Meaning of the influence situation
❏ Individual’s method of coping and achieving goals
This theory is directed towards 3 types of social relationships that occur in
social influence situations(given by Kelman).
COMPLIANCE
IDENTIFICATION
INTERNALISATION
SOCIAL JUDGEMENT THEORY
Social judgment theory (SJT) is a self-persuasion theory proposed
by Carolyn Sherif, Muzafer Sherif and Carl Hovland, defined by
Sherif and Sherif as the perception and evaluation of an idea by
comparing it with current attitudes. According to this theory, an
individual weighs every new idea, comparing it with the
individual's present point of view to determine where it should be
placed on the attitude scale in an individual's mind. SJT is the
subconscious sorting out of ideas that occurs at the instant of
perception.
Work Related Attitudes
JOB
SATISFACTION
JOB
INVOLVEMENT
ORGANISATIONAL
COMMITMENT
Values represent stable, long-lasting beliefs about what
is important. They are evaluative standard that help us
define what is right or wrong, good or bad, in the world.
Values are general beliefs about life. Values influence
our attitudes towards objects
Types of Values
TERMINAL
INSTRUMENTAL
These are desired states of
existence that we think are worth
striving for.
These are desirable modes of
behaviour that help us reach the
objectives of terminal values.
A world of beauty, equality,
wisdom and a comfortable life are
some of terminal values.
They include being polite,
courageous, logical, self-controlled
and ambitious.
SOURCES OF VALUES
❏ Family Factors
❏ Social Factors
❏ Personal Factors
❏ Cultural Factors
❏ Religious Factors
❏ Life experiences
❏ Role Demands
❏ Halo Effect
Values Across
Cultures
Values differ across cultures. Thus, managers must have an understanding of these differences
so that they may be able to explain and predict behaviour of employees. Following values
account for differences in orientation across cultures :
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Individualism Vs. Collectivism
Power Distance
Uncertainty Avoidance
Achievement Vs. Nurturing Orientation
Long Term Vs. Short term Orientation
8 Values Of Highly Productive
Organisations
CHANGING MINDSET MODEL
OLD MINDSET
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Specialist Employment
Internal Focus
Job Focus
Functional-Based Work
Human Dispirit and WOrk
Loyalty
Training
Closed Information
NEW MINDSET
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Flexible Development
Customer Focus
Performance Focus
Project-Based Work
Human Spirit and Work
Commitment
Learning and Development
Open Information