1 Flashcards
What is organizational behavior?
Study of how people behave and interact in business organizations.
Who is Frederick W. Taylor?
Wrote “The Principles of Scientific Management” in 1911 about how humans contribute to the bottom line in mannufacturing.
Who is Douglas McGregor?
Formulated the idea in 1957 that managers make descisions based upon their assumptions of human nature
What is the Theory X management approach?
Takes an autocratic or micromanagement/close supervision approach; assumes that people dislike work & responsibility and are motivated only by personal gain (e.g. financial incentives).
What is the Theory Y management approach?
Takes a humanistic or hands off approach; assumes that people enjoy work and will control their own performance if allowed to.
What are the steps to the scientific method used in studying organizational behavior?
- Observe phenomena.
- Gather information.
- Generate a hypothes.
- Test the hypothesis.
- Revise hypothesis and/or draw conclusions from results of testing.
What is naturalistic observation?
Involves watching real-life events in an unobstrusive manner
What is a field study?
Researcher studies relationship between 2 variables but doesn’t alter either.
What is a field experiment?
Similar to a field study but researcher alters one of the variables in the field to see what the effect is.
What is a laboratory experiment?
Researcher alters a variable in a controlled environment to see what the effect is.
What is survey research?
Taking a survey or poll by questionnaires or interviews.
What is correlational research?
Used to find the amount that one variable changes in relation to another; can be positive or negative.
Define perception in OB.
The process of selecting, organizing and interpreting stimuli.
Define selective attention in OB.
The process by which we choose what stimuli to focus on.
Define perceptual organization in OB.
The process by which we organize or categorize the stimulus.
Define social perception in OB.
The process by which we perceive other people.
What characteristics are our perceptions of others influenced by?
- The person perceived.
- The situation.
- The perceiver.
What is stereotyping?
Attributing characteristics to others because they belong to a particular group.
What is the halo effect?
Allowing knowledge of 1 trait to influence knowledge of other traits.
What is the implicit personality theory?
Having a fixed set of of biases.
What is selective perception?
Limiting our perceptions of others.
What is projection?
Imposing or “projecting” our own self-concepts onto others.
What is a dependent variable?
A variable that an experiment is trying to test.
What is an independent variable?
A variable the researcher controls or changes for the experiment.
What is social perception?
The process by which we perceive others.
What is qualitative data?
Data that is difficult to measure or count in statistical terms.
What is quantitative data?
Information that can be expressed in numerical format.
Define personality.
A person’s characteristic way of thinking, feeling & acting.
Define the psychoanalytic theory of personality.
Personality is the result of conflicts between pleasure-seeking impulses & social restraints.
Define the biological/trait theory of personality.
Personality expresses biologically influenced dispositions (e.g. extroversion).
What is the humanistic theory of personality?
Personality is the processing of conscious feelings about oneself in light of experiences.
What is the social-cognitive theory of personality?
Personality is influenced by the interrationships of people and situations and is colored by perceptions of control.
What is the external locus of control?
A feeling that outcomes are imposed by others.
What is the internal locus of control?
A feeling that we can personally influence the outcome of events.
What are the 5 traits of personality?
- Emotional stability
- Extroversion.
- Openness.
- Agreeableness/Good nature.
- Conscientiousness/Preciseness.
Define attitude.
A tendency to respond in a positive or negative way to stimuli in the environment in a given situation.
What are the 3 components of attitudes?
- The thoughts & ideas about a person or thing.
- Feelings about a person or thing.
- The behavior & actions toward a person or thing.
What are 4 major influences on attitude?
- Culture.
- Family.
- Peers.
- Prior life experience.
Define beliefs.
Something that people believe that may or may not have a fact as their basis.
Define values.
Generally held by a large group in society; closely held norms or standards of idealized behavior.
What is job satisfaction?
Positive emotional state from finding enjoyment or satisfactionn in one’s job. Affects absenteeism, turnover & organizational effectiveness.
What are Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (in order)?
- Self-actualization.
- Esteem needs.
- Belonging & love.
- Safety.
- Physical needs.
Name 2 humanistic theorists.
Maslow and Carl Rogers (agreed with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and advocated group therapy)
What is ERG Theory?
By Clayton Alderfer based on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs; stands for Existence needs, Relatedness needs, Growth needs. Assumes people do not go through the Hierachy of Needs in order but go in and out of each and can be in more than one need area at a time.
What is the need for achievement?
Developed by David McClelland. Employees have 4 needs: affliation, autonomy, power & achievement. Based on a person’s needs or wants to solve problems, meet goals, etc.
In learning, what is classical conditioning?
Learning to associate 2 stimuli (think Pavlov’s dog)