Perception, Attitudes, Values, Job Satisfaction & Learning

Perception, Attitudes, Values, Job Satisfaction & Learning

Perception

Definition

• Perception is the process by which individuals organize and interpret sensory impressions in order to give meaning to their environment.
• It is not a passive process but an active cognitive interpretation of stimuli.
• In OB, perception explains why people behave differently in the same situation.

Process of Perception

1. Stimulus/Environmental Input – Objects, events, people, or situations that trigger sensory organs.
2. Selection – Screening or filtering of information based on relevance, interest, or need.
3. Organization – Arranging information into patterns or categories (e.g., similarity, proximity, continuity).
4. Interpretation – Assigning meaning based on past experience, culture, values, and context.
5. Response/Action – Behavioural or attitudinal reaction to perception.

Factors Affecting Perception

1. Perceiver-related Factors
• Attitudes, motives, interests, past experiences, expectations, personality.
• Example: An optimistic employee perceives challenges as opportunities, while a pessimist sees threats.
2. Target-related Factors
• Novelty, motion, sounds, size, background, proximity, similarity.
• Example: A well-dressed candidate in an interview may be perceived as more competent.
3. Situational/Contextual Factors
• Time, social setting, work environment, organizational culture.
• Example: Behaviour in a formal meeting may be perceived differently than in casual conversation.

Improving Perception

• Awareness of biases (halo effect, stereotyping, projection, attribution errors).
• Active listening and feedback to reduce misinterpretation.
• Empathy – seeing from others’ perspectives.
• Open communication to clarify ambiguities.
• Training and sensitization programs for managers and employees.

Applications in OB

• Selection and Recruitment – Interviewers’ perception of candidates.
• Performance Appraisal – Managers’ perception of employee performance.
• Leadership – Followers’ perception shapes leader effectiveness.
• Conflict Resolution – Understanding differing perceptions helps in negotiation.
• Motivation – Employees’ perception of fairness affects morale and productivity.

Attitudes

Definition

• Attitude is a learned predisposition to respond in a consistently favorable or unfavorable manner toward an object, person, or situation.
• It reflects feelings, beliefs, and behavioural tendencies.

Salient Features

• Learned – Not innate; shaped by experience and socialization.
• Relatively stable but can change with strong influence.
• Has three components (ABC model):
1. Affective – feelings/emotions (e.g., liking/disliking a job).
2. Behavioural – intention to act (e.g., willingness to work overtime).
3. Cognitive – beliefs or knowledge (e.g., belief that pay is fair).

Formation of Attitudes

• Social learning – From family, peers, culture.
• Direct experience – Personal encounters.
• Classical conditioning – Association of stimuli with emotions.
• Operant conditioning – Reinforcement and punishment.
• Modeling – Observing influential figures or leaders.

Job Satisfaction

Types (Three Key Work Attitudes in OB)

1. Job Satisfaction – General positive/negative feelings about one’s job.
2. Job Involvement – Degree to which a person identifies with their job and considers performance important to self-worth.
3. Organizational Commitment – Loyalty, sense of belonging, and willingness to remain with the organization.

Definition

• Job satisfaction is the degree of positive emotional orientation an individual has toward their job.

Dimensions

• Nature of work – Meaningfulness, challenge.
• Pay and benefits – Fairness and adequacy.
• Promotion opportunities – Growth and career advancement.
• Supervision – Supportive leadership.
• Coworkers – Relationships and teamwork.
• Work conditions – Physical and psychological environment.

Determinants

• Individual factors – Personality, values, expectations.
• Job factors – Work itself, autonomy, recognition.
• Organizational factors – Culture, policies, management style.
• Social factors – Peer support, teamwork.

Effects

• Positive Effects – High performance, motivation, lower turnover, organizational citizenship behaviour.
• Negative Effects – Absenteeism, low productivity, burnout, withdrawal.

Values

Definition

• Values are enduring beliefs about what is desirable or undesirable, right or wrong, important or unimportant.
• They guide attitudes, behaviours, and decision-making.

Types (Rokeach Value Survey)

1. Terminal Values – Desired end-states of existence (e.g., happiness, freedom, security, success).
2. Instrumental Values – Preferred modes of behaviour to achieve terminal values (e.g., honesty, discipline, responsibility, ambition).

Learning

Definition

• Learning is a relatively permanent change in behaviour that occurs as a result of experience or practice.
• In OB, learning explains how individuals acquire skills, knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours in organizations.

Determinants of Learning

1. Motivation – Desire to learn.
2. Reinforcement – Rewards or punishments that shape behaviour.
3. Practice/Repetition – Strengthens learning.
4. Feedback – Corrects errors and reinforces correct behaviour.
5. Environment – Supportive culture, resources, leadership.

Principles of Learning

• Law of Effect – Behaviour followed by positive consequences is repeated.
• Law of Exercise – Repetition strengthens learning.
• Law of Readiness – Learning occurs best when the learner is prepared.
• Reinforcement principle – Positive/negative reinforcement influences learning.
• Generalization & Discrimination – Ability to apply learning to new situations vs. differentiate contexts.

Relationship with Human Behaviour

• Learning influences skills, work habits, attitudes, and interpersonal relations.
• Determines adaptability and innovation in organizations.
• Shapes motivation, perception, leadership style, and job performance.
• Explains why employee behaviour differs and how training can improve outcomes.

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