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Components of Attitudes:
Attitudes structure can be described in terms of three components.
ABC model of attitudes is affect, behaviour and cognition. Affect refers to
the way a consumer feels about an attitude object. Behaviour involves the
person intention to do something regard to an attitude object an intention
does not always result in an actual behaviour. Cognitive refers to the beliefs
a consumer has about an attitude object.
Examples are based on Negative Attitude towards his supervisor.
1. Affective component:
Its include the feelings of a person about and object. These feeling could
be positive, negative or neutral. While customer service representative
displays positive feelings, a police officer or a bill collector would exhibit
negative feelings. Similarly while discharging administrative duties public
servants are required to show neutral feelings.
Example: I dislike my supervisor. I get angry when I see him.
2. Behavioural (or conative) component:
This components of attitude consist of a tendency of an individual to
behave in a particular way towards and object. Only this components of
attitude is visible as the other two can only be inferred. The way the
attitude we have influences how we act or behave.
Example: I am looking for another job. I have complained about my
supervisor to many people.
3. Cognitive component:
The beliefs and information that the individual has about the object are the
informational component of attitude. This involves a persons belief /
knowledge about an attitude object.
Example: My supervisor gave a promotion to another worker, who did not
deserve it more than me. My supervisor is unfair.
This model is known as the ABC model of attitudes.
components are usually linked.
The three
Cognitive dissonance:
Cognitive dissonance refers to any incompatibility an individual might
perceive between two or more attitudes or between behaviour and attitude.
Cognitive dissonance is a communication theory adopted from social
psychology. The title gives the concept: cognitive is thinking or the mind;
and dissonance is inconsistency or conflict. Cognitive dissonance is the
psychological conflict from holding two or more incompatible beliefs
simultaneously.
Cognitive Dissonance
The concept of organisational behaviour pertains to the attitudes and
behaviour of the people in the workplace. One theory that point to this
issue is the cognitive dissonance theory. (Chow 2001, 45) This first
proposed by Leon Festinger in the 50s to establish the existing relationship
of the basic psychological concepts such attitudes and behaviours. The
theory rest on the assumption that individuals attempt to find consistency
with reference to their attitudes and behaviour so as they similarly try to
merge the deviating attitudes and align it with their respective behaviours.
This is an attempt to appear to be normal, an individual who is sensible
and stable. However, one way or the other, the existing situation will find
some inconsistencies based on discrepancies on behaviour and attitudes
innate of the individual. (Bendick, Egan and Lofhjelm 2001, 10) In this
regard, the common individual, upon realising the same, will find ways to
rectify them to conform to what is considered appropriate. As stated in the
theory of cognitive dissonance, this is done by either doing some
alterations in the attitudes and behaviours of the individual or by finding
ways to rationalise the same to eliminate the stated discrepancies.
At the core of the theory, it accepts that man will inevitably try to minimise
the dissonance that exists as this provides immense discomfort on the part
of the individual. (Benedict, Mcclough and Mcclough 2006, 21) This
discomfort is triggered by the existing incompatibilities with their attitudes
and the behaviour of its immediate environment. However, it is important
to emphasise that the consequent minimising of the dissonance is
dependent on the importance of the factors that adds up to the overall
dissonance. Other factors that tend to influence the minimising of the
dissonance are the level of influence that the individuals have over the said
factor creating the dissonance. It is also contingent on the actual rewards
and incentives that are present with the dissonance. (Bacharach,
Bamberger and Sonnenstuhl 1996, 477) The main contention of the theory
then is that dissonance can be managed. Despite the presence of such
discrepancy, it does not mean that individuals will automatically seek
consistency to address the discomfort that the dissonance imposes. In
essence, the theory of cognitive dissonance allows the management to
determine the differing values and attitudes in the organisation. The theory
also specifies the actual organisational behaviour of the company.
Job Satisfaction:
The term Job satisfaction describes a positive feeling about a job, resulting
from an evaluation of its characteristics. A person with a high level of job
satisfaction holds positive feelings about his job, while a dissatisfied person
holds negative feelings.
Hop pock defined job satisfaction as any combination of psychological,
physiological and environmental circumstances that cause a person
truthfully to say I am satisfied with my job.