ORGANISATION BEHAVIOUR
UNIT 02: Individual Behaviour
Individual Behaviour refers to the actions, reactions, and overall conduct of an individual in response to external and internal stimuli. Understanding individual behaviour is essential in various fields such as psychology, sociology, and organizational behaviour. It is influenced by multiple factors that shape how a person thinks, feels, and acts in different situations.
Key Factors Influencing Individual Behaviour
Personality
Personality is a complex and dynamic aspect of an individual that defines how they think, feel, and behave across various situations. It represents the combination of psychological traits, characteristics, and habitual patterns that make each person unique. Personality influences how individuals perceive the world, interact with others, and respond to different experiences.
➢ Factors Influencing Personality
- Biological Factors: Genetics and brain structure play a significant role in determining personality traits.
- Environmental Influences: Life experiences, upbringing, and social interactions shape personality.
- Cultural Background: Shared beliefs, values, and norms contribute to personality development.
- Situational Context: Immediate circumstances may temporarily influence behaviour, though core personality traits remain consistent.
➢ Theories of Personality
1) Traits of personality Theory
Traits of Personality are enduring characteristics that influence an individual's thoughts, feelings, and behaviours across situations. These traits are consistent over time and are often categorized using frameworks like the Big Five personality traits or other psychological models.
Big Five Model - OCEAN
Openness to Experience
• Imaginative, curious, and open to new ideas and experiences.
• Opposite: Practical and resistant to change.
Conscientiousness
• Organized, dependable, and goal-oriented.
• Opposite: Careless, impulsive, and disorganized.
Extraversion
• Sociable, energetic, and outgoing.
• Opposite: Introversion (reserved and more inward-focused).
Agreeableness
• Cooperative, empathetic, and trusting.
• Opposite: Competitive, critical, and uncooperative.
Neuroticism
• Emotional instability, anxiety, and moodiness.
• Opposite: Emotional stability and calmness.
2) Psychoanalytic Theory
Psychoanalytic theory of personality is a psychological framework that describes how the mind's three components—the id, ego, and superego—interact to create human personality:
The unconscious, primitive part of the personality that's the source of basic urges and libidinal energy
The conscious, rational part of the personality that balances the id's demands with reality and the superego's morality
The part of the personality that internalizes morals and standards from parents, family, and society
3) Humanistic Theory
The humanistic theory of personality is a psychological approach that views people as inherently good and motivated to improve themselves:
- Self-actualization: People are driven to transform their real selves into their ideal selves.
- Free will: People have the ability to change their personality for the better.
- Self-concept: People have a self-concept that consists of their real self and their ideal self.
- Good intentions: People's motivations are fueled by good intentions.
- Personal worth: The humanistic approach emphasizes the individual's personal worth.
- Human values: The humanistic approach places human values and dignity front and center.
- Optimistic: The humanistic approach is optimistic and focuses on the human capacity to overcome hardship.
4) Behavioural and Social Learning Theory
Behavioural personality theory, also known as behaviourism, and social learning theory are two different theories of human behaviour that explain how people learn and develop their personalities:
This theory, developed by John Watson in 1913, states that human behavior is a response to environmental stimuli and is learned through a system of rewards and punishments. Behaviorists believe that the environment is the only force that shapes personality and behavior.
This theory, developed by Albert Bandura in 1977, states that people learn through observation and experience, and that their behavior is influenced by social interactions, modeling, and reinforcement. Social learning theory is also known as observational learning theory.
Perception and its role in individual Decision Making
Perception is the process by which individuals interpret and organize sensory information to understand their environment. It plays a critical role in shaping how individuals see situations, assess information, and ultimately make decisions. Perception is subjective and influenced by personal experiences, biases, and context, which means different people can interpret the same situation differently.
➢ Factors Affecting Perception Formation
- Internal Factors: Personality, attitudes, and emotional state.
- External Factors: The intensity, size, and contrast of stimuli (e.g., bright colours, loud noises).
- Situational Factors: Context and environment during the sensory experience.
➢ Perception errors
Perception errors occur when individuals misinterpret or inaccurately perceive information, leading to incorrect judgments or decisions. These errors arise due to biases, stereotypes, or limited information and can significantly affect interpersonal relationships, decision-making, and problem-solving.
Common Types of Perception Errors
Focusing only on information that aligns with existing beliefs while ignoring contradictory evidence.
Example: A manager noticing mistakes of a disliked employee but overlooking their achievements.
Forming an overall impression of a person based on a single positive trait or characteristic.
Example: Assuming someone is competent because they are well-dressed.
Generalizing characteristics to all members of a group based on perceived traits.
Example: Believing all introverts are shy and unsocial.
Judging an individual negatively based on one unfavorable trait or action.
Example: Assuming a person is lazy because they arrived late once.
Attributing one's own thoughts, feelings, or motivations to someone else.
Example: Assuming a colleague is competitive because you are competitive.
Forming a lasting judgment about someone based on initial interactions, regardless of later behavior.
Example: Assuming someone is unfriendly because they seemed quiet on the first day.
➢ Role of Perception in Individual Decision-Making
- Understanding Situations: Perception helps individuals analyse situations by interpreting the information available, forming the basis for decisions.
Example: Recognizing an opportunity or threat in a business scenario. - Problem Identification: What an individual perceives as a problem often dictates their approach to solving it.
Example: Two employees might perceive a deadline differently—one as a manageable challenge, the other as overwhelming pressure. - Evaluating Alternatives: Perception influences how people view the pros and cons of each choice available to them.
Example: A risk-taker may perceive a high-stakes investment as exciting, while a cautious person may see it as too risky. - Influence of Biases: Perception can be shaped by biases such as stereotypes, past experiences, or emotions, which can skew decision-making.
Example: A manager's perception of an employee's abilities may influence promotion decisions. - Selective Attention: Individuals tend to focus on information they perceive as important, potentially overlooking critical factors.
Example: A consumer may focus on price while ignoring product quality. - Shaping Behaviour: How an individual perceives the outcomes or consequences of their actions influences their decisions.
Example: A student's perception of future job prospects may guide their choice of courses.
Learning in OB
Learning in Organizational Behaviour (OB) refers to the process through which individuals acquire knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviours to adapt and perform effectively in an organizational setting. It plays a critical role in shaping employee behaviour, improving performance, and fostering a positive workplace culture.
➢ Key Features of Learning in OB
- Change in Behaviour: Learning results in relatively permanent changes in how individuals behave.
- Continuous Process: Learning is an ongoing process influenced by experiences and interactions.
- Adaptation: It helps employees adapt to changes and challenges in the workplace.
➢ Theories of Learning in OB
Learning occurs by associating a neutral stimulus with a response.
Example: Employees associate punctuality with rewards.
Behaviour is influenced by its consequences, such as rewards or punishments.
Example: Providing bonuses for high performance to encourage productivity.
Learning occurs through observation, imitation, and modelling of others' behaviours.
Example: New employees learn workplace norms by observing their colleagues.
Focuses on mental processes like thinking, memory, and problem-solving.
Example: Employees learning a new software program by understanding its functionality.
➢ Methods and Role of Learning in OB
Methods
- On-the-Job Training: Learning while performing job tasks.
- Coaching and Mentoring: Guidance from experienced colleagues.
- Workshops and Seminars: Structured learning sessions for skill development.
- Experiential Learning: Gaining knowledge through hands-on experiences.
- Self-Directed Learning: Employees taking the initiative to learn independently.
Importance
- Improves Performance: Enhances employees' ability to perform tasks effectively.
- Adapts to Change: Helps individuals cope with organizational changes and new technologies.
- Encourages Innovation: Promotes creativity and problem-solving.
- Builds Competence: Develops skills and knowledge for personal and professional growth.
- Fosters Engagement: Engages employees by providing opportunities for development.
Motivation and Theories of Motivation
Motivation refers to the internal or external drive that initiates, directs, and sustains an individual's efforts toward achieving goals. It explains why individuals behave in certain ways and determines the intensity, direction, and persistence of their actions. In organizational settings, motivation plays a critical role in employee performance, engagement, and job satisfaction.
➢ Theories of Motivation
1. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
Proposes that human needs are arranged in a hierarchy and individuals are motivated to satisfy lower-level needs before higher-level ones.
Levels
- Physiological Needs: Basic survival needs (food, water, shelter).
- Safety Needs: Security and stability (job security, safe working environment).
- Social Needs: Relationships and belongingness (friendship, teamwork).
- Esteem Needs: Recognition and respect (achievement, status).
- Self-Actualization: Realizing personal potential (growth, creativity).
2. Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory
Herzberg's two-factor theory, also known as the two-factor content theory, is a theory of motivation that states that job satisfaction is caused by two separate sets of factors:
These factors are extrinsic to the job itself and can cause dissatisfaction if they are not present. Examples of hygiene factors include:
• Compensation
• Job security
• Working conditions
• Quality of leadership
These factors are intrinsic to the job itself and can cause satisfaction if they are present. Examples of motivators include:
• Recognition
• Achievement
• Opportunities for growth
• Responsibility
3. Theory X and Theory Y
In 1960, Douglas McGregor formulated Theory X and Theory Y suggesting two aspects of human behaviour at work, or in other words, two different views of individuals (employees):
• An average employee intrinsically does not like work and tries to escape it whenever possible.
• Since the employee does not want to work, he must be persuaded, compelled, or warned with punishment so as to achieve organizational goals.
• A close supervision is required on part of managers. The managers adopt a more dictatorial style.
• Employees can perceive their job as relaxing and normal. They exercise their physical and mental efforts in an inherent manner in their jobs.
• Employees may not require only threat, external control and coercion to work, but they can use self-direction and self-control if they are dedicated and sincere to achieve the organizational objectives.
4. Vroom's Expectancy Theory
Victor Vroom's expectancy theory of motivation is a model that explains how people are motivated by the anticipated results of their actions. The theory is based on the idea that people are more likely to work hard if they believe their efforts will lead to a desired outcome.
Belief that effort leads to performance.
Belief that performance leads to rewards.
Value of the reward to the individual.
