1. Individual Behavior
Chapter 12

2. How do perceptions affect individual
behavior?
Perception – the process through which
people receive and interpret information from
the environment

3. • Perceptual distortions can obscure individual
differences
Stereotype - assigns attributes commonly
associated with a group to an individual.
Halo effect – using one attribute to develop an
overall impression of a person or situation
Selective perception – focuses his attention on
things consistent with existing beliefs, needs
or actions
Projection – assigns personal attributes to
individuals

4. • Perception can cause attribution errors as we
explain events and problems
Attribution – process of creating explanations
for events
Fundamental attribution error –
overestimates internal factors and
underestimates external factors as influences
on someone’s behavior
Self-serving bias – underestimates internal
factors and overestimates external; factors as
influences on someone’s behavior

5. • Impression management is a way of
influencing how other perceive us
Impression management – tries to create
desired perception in the eyes of others

6. How do personalities influence
individual behavior?
Personality – profile of characteristics making
a person unique from others
• Big Five personality traits describe work-
related individual differences

8. • The Myers-Briggs type indicator is a popular
approach to personality development


9. • Self-monitoring and other personality traits
influence work behavior
Locus of control – extent to which one believes
happens under control
Authoritarianism – degree to which a person
defers to authority and accepts status differences
Machiavellianism – degree to which someone
uses power manipulatively
Self-monitoring – degree to which someone is
able to adjust behavior in response to external
factors

11. • People with type-A personalities tend to stress
themselves
Stress – state of tension experienced by
individuals facing extraordinary
demands, constraints and opportunities
Type-A personality – oriented toward extreme
achieve, impatience and perfectionism

12. • Stress has consequences for work
performance and personal health
Constructive stress – positive influence on
effort, creativity and diligence in work
Destructive stress – negative influence on
one’s performance
Job burnout - physical and mental exhaustion
from work

13. Workplace rage – aggressive behavior towards
co-workers and work setting
Personal wellness – pursuit for a personal-
heath promotion program

14. How do attitudes, emotions, and
moods influence individual behavior?
• Attitudes predispose people to act in certain
ways
Cognitive dissonance – discomfort felt when
behavior and attitude are inconsistent

15. • Job satisfaction – the degree to which an
individual feels positive towards a job and
work experience

16. • Job satisfaction influences behavior
Withdrawal behaviors – include absenteeism
and turnover
Organizational Citizenship behaviors – things
people do to go the extra mile in their work
Employees management – strong sense of
belonging and conviction with one's work and
employer

17. • Job satisfaction has a complex relationship
with job performance

18. • Emotions and moods are positive and
negative states of mind that influence
behavior
Emotional intelligence – ability to understand
emotions and manage relationships effectively
Emotions – strong feelings directed towards
someone or something
Moods – generalized positive and negative
feeling or states of mind
 Mood contagion – spill over of one’s negative
and positive moods to others