Attitudes – oct 5, 2020
In general terms, an attitude is a person’s “degree of favorability” toward an attitude object (e.g. how
favourable you are toward laser eye surgery) (Ajzen, 2001).
More specifically, according to the tripartite model of attitudes, attitudes are comprised of three (i.e.
“tri”) components (Rosenberg and Hovland, 1960):
•Affective component: How a person feels about an attitude object (e.g. I feel scared about laser eye
surgery, I feel excited about laser eye surgery).
•Cognitive component: What a person thinks about an attitude object (e.g. I think laser eye surgery is
risky, I think laser eye surgery is safe).
•Behavioural component: How a person is inclined to behave toward an attitude object (e.g. I would
not get laser eye surgery, I would get laser eye surgery).
Major Work-Related Attitudes
•There are endless attitudes (e.g. your political attitudes, your attitudes about pizza topping). We will
focus on two of the most widely studied work-related attitudes:
•Job satisfaction: A person’s degree of favourability toward his/her job (i.e. how a person feels
about his/her job, what a person thinks about his/her job, and how a person is inclined to behave
toward his/her job).
•Organizational commitment: A person’s degree of favourability toward his/her organization
(i.e. how a person feels about his/her organization, what a person thinks about his/her organization, and
how a person is inclined to behave toward his/her organization).
Job satisfaction and organizational commitment are often the same but do not have to be the same, For
example:
- A person could have high job satisfaction and low organizational commitment (e.g. I love
working as an accountant but hate working for coke).
- A person could have low job satisfaction and high organizational commitment( e.g. I gate
working as a janitor but I love working for Pepsi)
Organizational commitment
- There are 3 types of organizational commitement (allen and meyer,1990; meyer and allen,
1997)
Meyer developed scales to measure each type
o Affective
, A person desire to stay with a company because they feel an emotional
attachment to it, he/she identifies with or is involved in it
o Normative
A person desire to stay with his organization because he is obligated to
Ex. Family business
o Continuance
A person’s desire to stay with his organization because of the costs associated
with leaving it
Ex. Cant afford it
Although higher continuance commitment lowers turnover intention and turnover it can lower on-the-
job behaviour and employee health and well-being.
•Affective commitment lowers turnover intention and turnover more than normative commitment and
continuance commitment.
•Affective commitment raises on-the-job behaviour and employee health and well-being more than
normative commitment.
•Thus, we want to encourage affective commitment and discourage normative commitment and
continuance commitment.
•How do you think organizations can achieve that?
Some major theories of job satisfaction
two factor theory (Herzberg)
- Job satisfaction is not one dimension that ranges from job dissatisfaction (low) to job
satisfaction (high)
Job dissatisfaction job satisfaction
None-------------- high none----------------------------high
- The factors that influence job dissatisfaction are called hygiene factors that include:
Company policy and administration.•Supervision.•Relationship with supervisor.•Work
conditions.•Salary.•Relationship with peers.•Personal life. •Relationship with
subordinates.•Status.•Job security.
- Factors that influence job satisfaction are called motivators and include:
Achievement.•Recognition.•Work itself.•Responsibility.•Advancement.•Growth.
- A raise is an example of job dissatisfaction none
- In a study, Herzberg (1968) showed that job enrichment (which increases motivators which
increases job satisfaction) increased job performance.
In general terms, an attitude is a person’s “degree of favorability” toward an attitude object (e.g. how
favourable you are toward laser eye surgery) (Ajzen, 2001).
More specifically, according to the tripartite model of attitudes, attitudes are comprised of three (i.e.
“tri”) components (Rosenberg and Hovland, 1960):
•Affective component: How a person feels about an attitude object (e.g. I feel scared about laser eye
surgery, I feel excited about laser eye surgery).
•Cognitive component: What a person thinks about an attitude object (e.g. I think laser eye surgery is
risky, I think laser eye surgery is safe).
•Behavioural component: How a person is inclined to behave toward an attitude object (e.g. I would
not get laser eye surgery, I would get laser eye surgery).
Major Work-Related Attitudes
•There are endless attitudes (e.g. your political attitudes, your attitudes about pizza topping). We will
focus on two of the most widely studied work-related attitudes:
•Job satisfaction: A person’s degree of favourability toward his/her job (i.e. how a person feels
about his/her job, what a person thinks about his/her job, and how a person is inclined to behave
toward his/her job).
•Organizational commitment: A person’s degree of favourability toward his/her organization
(i.e. how a person feels about his/her organization, what a person thinks about his/her organization, and
how a person is inclined to behave toward his/her organization).
Job satisfaction and organizational commitment are often the same but do not have to be the same, For
example:
- A person could have high job satisfaction and low organizational commitment (e.g. I love
working as an accountant but hate working for coke).
- A person could have low job satisfaction and high organizational commitment( e.g. I gate
working as a janitor but I love working for Pepsi)
Organizational commitment
- There are 3 types of organizational commitement (allen and meyer,1990; meyer and allen,
1997)
Meyer developed scales to measure each type
o Affective
, A person desire to stay with a company because they feel an emotional
attachment to it, he/she identifies with or is involved in it
o Normative
A person desire to stay with his organization because he is obligated to
Ex. Family business
o Continuance
A person’s desire to stay with his organization because of the costs associated
with leaving it
Ex. Cant afford it
Although higher continuance commitment lowers turnover intention and turnover it can lower on-the-
job behaviour and employee health and well-being.
•Affective commitment lowers turnover intention and turnover more than normative commitment and
continuance commitment.
•Affective commitment raises on-the-job behaviour and employee health and well-being more than
normative commitment.
•Thus, we want to encourage affective commitment and discourage normative commitment and
continuance commitment.
•How do you think organizations can achieve that?
Some major theories of job satisfaction
two factor theory (Herzberg)
- Job satisfaction is not one dimension that ranges from job dissatisfaction (low) to job
satisfaction (high)
Job dissatisfaction job satisfaction
None-------------- high none----------------------------high
- The factors that influence job dissatisfaction are called hygiene factors that include:
Company policy and administration.•Supervision.•Relationship with supervisor.•Work
conditions.•Salary.•Relationship with peers.•Personal life. •Relationship with
subordinates.•Status.•Job security.
- Factors that influence job satisfaction are called motivators and include:
Achievement.•Recognition.•Work itself.•Responsibility.•Advancement.•Growth.
- A raise is an example of job dissatisfaction none
- In a study, Herzberg (1968) showed that job enrichment (which increases motivators which
increases job satisfaction) increased job performance.
