1. Attitudes and Positive Psychological States

2. Attitude: nature & characteristics
Attitude is a complex cognitive process
It is An evaluative statement – either favourable or unfavourable – about something
Four characteristics
Relatively stable unless something done to change
Evaluative in nature: favourable to unfavourable
Directed toward objects of feelings
Mutually reinforcing relations with behaviour

3. Importance of attitude
A major cause of employee and managerial work behaviour
Positive attitudes frequently lead to productive efforts, whereas negative ones lead to poor work habits
Understanding of employees attitudes help to take actions to change unfavourable work attitudes and develop positive ones

4. Dimensions (ABC Model)
Cognitive: thoughts/opinion or beliefs about something (friendship with someone will help release stress)
Affective: the feelings or emotion about something (I am interested to find a friend who will listen to me)
Behavioural: tendency to act in a particular way towards something (I spend an hour every evening taking to my friend)
These components are closely related

5. Formation of attitudes
Beliefs are the basis of attitude
We acquire beliefs in three ways
Through direct observation
by acceptance of information from some source
by inferring new beliefs from what we already know

6. Changing attitudes Barriers to changing attitudes
Prior commitments
Insufficient information
Approaches to changing workplace attitudes
Providing new information
Influence of friend or peers
The co-opting approach
Use of moderate degree of fear
Resolving discrepancies between behaviour and attitude: cognitive dissonance theory

7. Cognitive dissonance theory
Explains the linkage between attitudes and behavior.
Dissonance means conflict.
Cognitive dissonance refers to any incompatibility that an individual might perceive between two or more of his/her attitudes, or between his/her behavior and attitudes.
Theory refers that at any form of inconsistency is uncomfortable and that individual will attempt to reduce (minimize) the dissonance.

8. Removing dissonance Two ways to reduce dissonance:
Change attitude to align with behaviour
Reduce the importance of the dissonant beliefs (Remove the negative effect).
Add consonant beliefs that outweigh the dissonant beliefs (look for positive effects).
Change behaviour to align with attitude

9. Organisational Commitment (OC)
A strong desire to remain a member of a particular organisation
A willingness to exert high levels of effort on behalf of the organisation
A definite belief in, and acceptance of, the values and goals of the organisation
Outcomes of organisational commitment
Somewhat better predictor of turnover, absenteeism and performance

10. Organisational Citizenship Behaviours (OCB)
Discretionary and voluntary employee actions that go beyond the call of duty, not necessarily recognised by the organisation's formal reward system
Perception of organisational justice/ fair treatment more likely to go beyond the formal job requirements and reciprocate with OCBs
Relationship with performance

11. Optimism
Ability to look at the brighter side of life and to maintain a positive attitude even in the face of adversity.
Optimism assumes a measure a hope in one’s approach to life.

12. Subjective Well Being (SWB)
Affective (mood and emotion) and cognitive evaluations of life
Emotional interpretation and cognitive processing of what happens
Components
Life satisfaction
Satisfaction with important domains (e.g. Work, family)
Positive affect (the experience of many pleasant emotions)
Low levels of negative affect (the experience of few unpleasant emotions)

13. Emotional Intelligence (EI)
Capacity for understanding and managing one’s own and others’ emotions
Dimensions
Self awareness
Self management
Self motivation
Empathy
Social skills

14. Self Efficacy
Personal judgement or belief of how well one can execute courses of action required to deal with prospective situations
A conviction in own abilities to mobilise the motivation, cognitive resources, and courses of action necessary to successfully execute a specific tasks within a given context
Types of self efficacy:
Specific self efficacy : situation- specific that can be developed through a process of learning
Generalised self-efficacy: belief that one can succeed in a variety of situations