Week 6 Flashcards
Attitude
A summary evaluation of a psychological object captured in such attribute dimensions as good/bad, harmful-beneficial, pleasant/unpleasant, and likable/dislikable. Typically (although not always) will include some behavioural intent aligned with nature of the attitude. E.g. “I like my boss. I am going to work really hard for her”. However behavioural intent does not equal actual behaviour.
Job Attitude
Attitude(s) towards tasks comprising of a specific job
Work attitude
Attitude(s) towards more general aspects of work
Examples of workplace attitudes
Job involvement
Organisational commitment
Work engagement
Job satisfaction
Values
The ethics of the individual – what is personally important. e.g. achievement vs. family life. Values can guide attitudes but not necessarily will be related. Values are more abstract than attitudes (which are related to specific objects).
Rokeach identifies two types of values
Terminal values and instrumental values
Terminal values
The end states or goals that a person would like to achieve in life or feels are highly important to society. E.g. happiness, equality, freedom, a world of beauty, national security
Instrumental value
The beliefs around how one will achieve those end goals or codes of conduct. E.g. honesty, obedience, responsibility, independence
Job Involvement
A cognition that refers to the extent to which individuals identify psychologically with their specific job, and the importance of their job to their image of themselves (self-concept), and their intention to engage in the job
The three components of job involvement
The degree of psychological identification has with their current job
The importance of this job to the person’s self-concept and self esteem
The intention to engage in tasks associated with this job
Job Involvement and organisational outcomes
Evidence that job involvement related to organisational outcomes
There’s a diagram on the slides you may want to have a look at
Work engagement
A positive, fulfilling, work-related state of mind that is characterised by vigour, dedication, and absorption. Extends beyond job involvement to recognise the energy and efforts of individuals; feeling of being challenged.
Vigour
high levels of energy and resilience, the willingness to invest effort, not being easily fatigued, and persistence in the face of difficulties.
Dedication
deriving a sense of significance from one’s work, feeling enthusiastic and proud about one’s job, and feeling inspired and challenged by it.
Absorption
being totally and happily immersed in one’s work and having difficulties detaching oneself from it so that time passes quickly and one forgets everything else that is around
Outcomes of work engagement
Evidence that work-engagement related to a range of positive individual and organisational outcomes
There’s a diagram on the slides you may want to have a look at
Organisational Commitment
The person’s feelings of identification with and attachment to his or her organisation. Includes affective (want to stay), normative (ought to stay) and continuance (need to stay) components.
Outcomes of organisational commitment
Affective commitment positively related to employee attendance ) but normative and continuance commitment not related to absenteeism.
Affective and normative commitment positively associated with job performance vs. continuance commitment negatively or not related to job performance.
Commitment and organisational support
Affect and normative commitment both positively related to perceived organisational support . However, continuance commitment is negatively related although some other researchers find no relationship
Transformational leadership and commitment
Transformational leadership is positively related to affective and normative commitment but negatively to continuance commitment.
What is continuance commitment associated with
Continuance commitment negatively associated with transferability of skills and education and positively related to perceived chance for promotion.
Job satisfaction
The individual’s affective (emotional) reaction to their job, and how much pleasure or happiness they derive from it
The Early models of job satisfaction
Maslow’s Need Hierarchy Theory (“satisfaction” is achieved when a need is fulfilled)
Herzberg’s two-factor theory (“satisfaction” is achieved when hygiene and motivator factors address)
Value theory of job satisfaction
A value is what one acts to gain and/or keep. Values can be acquired and learnt. Outcome are differentially valued. There is satisfaction when a value is achieved or secured.
