Study

1. Chapter 3
Attitudes, and Job
Satisfaction
TWELFTH EDITION

2. Evaluative statements – either favorable or unfavorable –
concerning objects, people or events
Attitudes reflect how one feels
about something
AttitudesAttitudes

3. A settled way of thinking or feeling,
typically reflected in a person's behavior.
AttitudesAttitudes

4. a positive or negative evaluation of people, objects,
event, activities, ideas, or just about anything in your
environment
AttitudesAttitudes

5. a person's perspective toward a specified target
and
way of saying and doing things
AttitudesAttitudes

6. 3–6
AttitudesAttitudes
Attitudes
Evaluative
statements or
judgments
concerning
objects, people,
or events.
Affective Component
The emotional or feeling
segment of an attitude.
Cognitive component
The opinion or belief segment
of an attitude.
Behavioral Component
An intention to behave in a certain
way toward someone or
something.

7. © 2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved. 3–7
Attitudes

8. 3–8
The Theory of Cognitive DissonanceThe Theory of Cognitive Dissonance
Cognitive Dissonance
Any incompatibility between two or more attitudes or between
behavior and attitudes.
This is the feeling of uncomfortable tension which comes
from holding two conflicting thoughts in the mind at the same
time.
Dissonance is often strong when we believe something about
ourselves and then do something against that belief.
If I believe I am good but do something bad, then the
discomfort I feel as a result is cognitive dissonance.

9. 3–9
The Theory of Cognitive DissonanceThe Theory of Cognitive Dissonance
Examples of Cognitive Dissonance:
A situations where an individual's behavior conflicts with
beliefs that are integral to his or her self-identity.
Consider a situation in which a woman who values financial
security is in a relationship with a man who is financially
irresponsible.
• The conflict:
• It is important for her to be financially secure.
• She is dating a man who is financially unstable.
In order to reduce this dissonance between belief and
behavior, she can either leave the relationship or reduce her
emphasis on financial security.

10. 3–10
The Theory of Cognitive DissonanceThe Theory of Cognitive Dissonance
Why is Cognitive Dissonance Important?
• Cognitive dissonance plays a role in many value
judgments, decisions and evaluations.
• Becoming aware of how conflicting beliefs impact the
decision-making process is a great way to improve your
ability to make faster and more accurate choices.
• Individuals seek to reduce this uncomfortable gap, or
dissonance, to reach stability and consistency
• Consistency is achieved by changing the attitudes,
modifying the behaviors, or through rationalization

11. 3–11
The Theory of Cognitive DissonanceThe Theory of Cognitive Dissonance
Desire to reduce dissonance
• Importance of elements creating dissonance
• Degree of individual influence over elements
• Rewards involved in dissonance
Desire to reduce dissonance
• Importance of elements creating dissonance
• Degree of individual influence over elements
• Rewards involved in dissonance
Moderating variables
 Dissonance increases with:
 The importance of the subject to us.
 How strongly the dissonant thoughts conflict.
 Our inability to rationalize and explain away the
conflict.

12. 3–14
Major Job AttitudesMajor Job Attitudes
Job Satisfaction
A collection of positive and/or negative feelings that an
individual holds toward his or her job.
A positive and/or negative feelings about one’s job resulting
from an evaluation of its characteristics

13. 3–15
Types of Jobs AttitudesTypes of Jobs Attitudes
Job Involvement
Identifying with the job, actively participating in it, and
considering performance important to self-worth.
The degree to which a person identifies with a job, actively
participates in it, and considers performance important to
self-worth.

14. What Are the Major Job Attitudes?What Are the Major Job Attitudes?
 Psychological Empowerment
– Belief in the degree of influence over the job,
competence, job meaningfulness, and autonomy.
3-16

15. 3–17
Types of Jobs AttitudesTypes of Jobs Attitudes
Organizational Commitment
Identifying with a particular organization and its goals, and
wishing to maintain membership in the organization.
The degree to which an employee identifies with a particular
organization and its goals and wishes to maintain
membership in the organization.
Three dimensions to organizational commitment:

16. Another Major Jobs AttitudeAnother Major Jobs Attitude
 Organizational Commitment
– Three dimensions to organizational commitment:
– Affective commitment – An emotional attachment to
organization and a belief in its value
– Continuance Commitment – is the perceived economic
value of staying with in an organization compared to
leaving it
– Normative commitment – is an obligation to remain with
the organization for moral or ethical reasons
3-18

17. 3–19
Types of AttitudesTypes of Attitudes
An employee believes his organization would accommodate
him if he had a child-care problem or would forgive an honest
mistake on his part
Perceived Organizational Support (POS)
The degree to which employees feel the organization values
their contribution and cares about their well-being.

18. 3–20
Types of Jobs AttitudesTypes of Jobs Attitudes
Employee Engagement
An individual’s involvement with, satisfaction with, and
enthusiasm for the work he or she does.
Highly engaged employees have a passion for their work and
feel a deep connection to their company
Disengaged employees have essentially “checked out”
putting time but not energy or attention into their work.

19. 3–21
Measuring job satisfactionMeasuring job satisfaction
Attitude Surveys
Eliciting responses from employees through questionnaires
about how they feel about their jobs, work groups, supervisors,
and the organization.

20. 3–23
Job SatisfactionJob Satisfaction
 Measuring Job Satisfaction
– Single global rating
• A response to one question, such as all things considered,
• How satisfied are you with your job?
– Summation score
• Includes elements in a job and asks for the employee’s
feelings about each
– Nature of the work
– Supervision
– Present pay
– Promotion opportunities
– Relation with co-workers
– Etc.

21. 3–24
Sample Attitude SurveySample Attitude Survey

22. 3–25
Job SatisfactionJob Satisfaction
 How Satisfied Are People in Their Jobs?
– Watson Wyatt’s first work India survey
– 315 companies, 11 Asian countries
– Only 30% responded favorably to their compensation
and benefits
– Decline attributed to:
• Pressures to increase productivity and meet tighter
deadlines
• Less control over work

23. Causes of Job SatisfactionCauses of Job Satisfaction
 Pay influences job satisfaction only to a point.
– After about $40,000 a year (in the U. S.), there is no
relationship between amount of pay and job
satisfaction.
– Money may bring happiness, but not necessarily job
satisfaction.
 Personality can influence job satisfaction.
– Negative people are usually not satisfied with their jobs.
– Those with positive core self-evaluation are more
satisfied with their jobs.
3-26

24. 3–27
Causes of Job SatisfactionCauses of Job Satisfaction
 How Satisfied Are People in Their Jobs?
– Work it-self
– Pay
– Advancement opportunities
– Supervision
– Co-workers
– Trainings
– Etc.

25. 3–28
How Employees Can Express DissatisfactionHow Employees Can Express Dissatisfaction
Exit
Behavior directed toward
leaving the organization.
Voice
Active and constructive
attempts to improve
conditions.
Neglect
Allowing conditions to
worsen.
Loyalty
Passively waiting for
conditions to improve.

26. 3–29
Responses to Job DissatisfactionResponses to Job Dissatisfaction
Source: C. Rusbult and D. Lowery, “When Bureaucrats Get the Blues,” Journal
of Applied Social Psychology. 15, no. 1, 1985:83. Reprinted with permission.

27. 3–30
Responses to Job DissatisfactionResponses to Job Dissatisfaction
Four types of responses to dissatisfaction:
1. Constructive/Active: Voice
2. Constructive/Passive: Loyalty
3. Destructive/Active: Exit
4. Destructive/Passive: Neglect

28. 3–31
The Effect of Job Satisfaction on Employee
Performance
The Effect of Job Satisfaction on Employee
Performance
 Satisfaction and Productivity
– Satisfied workers aren’t necessarily more productive.
– Worker productivity is higher in organizations with more
satisfied workers.
 Satisfaction and Absenteeism
– Satisfied employees have fewer avoidable absences.
 Satisfaction and Turnover and WP deviance
– Satisfied employees are less likely to quit.
– Organizations take actions to retain high performers
and to weed out lower performers.
– Unionization
– Undue socializing and slowness

29. 3–32
Job Satisfaction and OCBJob Satisfaction and OCB
 Satisfaction and Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB)
– Satisfied employees who feel fairly treated by and are
trusting of the organization are more willing to engage
in behaviors that go beyond the normal expectations of
their job.

30. 3–33
Job Satisfaction and Customer SatisfactionJob Satisfaction and Customer Satisfaction
 Satisfied employees increase customer
satisfaction because:
– They are more friendly, upbeat, and responsive.
– They are less likely to turnover which helps build long-
term customer relationships.
– They are experienced.
 Dissatisfied customers increase employee job
dissatisfaction.