FM-AA-CIA-15 Rev.

0 10-July-2020

Study Guide in (Mgt 102: Human Behavior in Organization) Module No. 3

STUDY GUIDE FOR MODULE NO. 3

LEARNING, PERCEPTION AND ATTRIBUTION

MODULE OVERVIEW

In an organization, a person needs to deal with his/her co-workers in order to reach to a certain goal
that is given by those in position. Whenever someone communicates with his/her workmates, she/he needs
to understand and respect the views and perceptions of him/her because it might have possible effects to
their work. But, how can someone do it? Well, it is simply by knowing the behavior or having a background
knowledge about that person. Through this, someone is able to know his/her limitations and will know the
appropriate treatment for that person.
Learning, perception, and attribution are important concepts that a person must to know to
effectively deal and communicate with other people. By knowing these three, one can easily identify the
proper way to deal with his/her organization effectively.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

By studying this module, you are expected to:

1. Define Learning
2. Discuss the theories of learning
3. List the factors influencing perception
4. Define what attribution is
5. Cite common attribution errors
6. List factors that influence attribution and the shortcuts used in forming impression of others

LEARNING CONTENTS

LEARNING

What is learning? What first comes into you mind whenever you hear this word. For some, they might
probably think of it as dealing with studies and academic stuff over and over again. But, actually, it is
mentioned in an article that learning involves far more than thinking. It involves the whole personality -
senses, feelings, intuition, beliefs, values and will. From this definition, we can say that through learning, a
person can change its behavior. In addition, it further widens our perspective and views on different aspects
of life.
Behavioral change happens when we gained a new knowledge or understanding on something. It has
been defined have been defined as information systems that form, alter, or reinforce attitudes, behaviors, or
acts of complying without using deception or coercion (Oinas-Kukkonen, 2013). As a result, one’s mind will
control his/her body and do what we she/he have learned or discovered.
For instance, Ms. Samantha Nathalia who used to sleep for just three hours a day because of video
games by chance have watched a video regarding the negative effects of having lack of sleep. Through the
video, she knew that it will cause bad effects on her body. And so, she was convinced and by that she
started to change her sleeping schedule.
From that situation, Ms Samantha Nathalia’s behavior change is a result of an indirect experience, in
other words by watching a video. Actually, she has two options, to continue satisfying herself for hours or to
reduce number of hours in playing video games but she chose to stick on what she had learned. By this, we
can clearly see that it is a result of change in behavior.

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Study Guide in (Mgt 102: Human Behavior in Organization) Module No. 3

THEORIES OF LEARNING

Through studies, researcher have developed theories that help explain the process of learning.
These theories include classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and social learning .

CLASSICAL CONDITIONING

Classical conditioning is also known as Pavlovian conditioning. It is leaning by association and was
discovered by a Russian psychologist, Pavlov. In other words, two stimuli are being linked together in order
to create a new response form an animal or a person.

OPERANT CONDITIONING

Operant conditioning is also referred as instrumental conditioning. It is a process of learning that

involves either reward or a punishment for a particular behavior. By this, an association is made between a
behavior and a consequence which can be positive or negative for that behavior. It can be also defined as a
learning where people might repeat the behavior or avoid the behavior based on the outcome.
This concept can be applied to workplace. Like the classical conditioning, it would help the
employees achieve a goal easily and work efficiently. A situation that can be associated with it is an
employee who submits his/her task three days before the said deadline and commended by his/her boss is
expected to repeat his/her behavior because of the positive outcome of his/her behavior.

How can we differentiate classical conditioning from operant conditioning?

In classical conditioning, it involves associating an involuntary response and stimulus, while operant
conditioning is about associating a voluntary behavior and an outcome of that said behavior.

SOCIAL LEARNING

The third theory is social learning. Social learning theory is referred as the process of observing
behavior of other people, analyzing them, as a result we will alter those based on the outcome and
integrating those in our actions or daily living.
In society, we call those individuals who are observed as models. In society, children are surrounded by
many influential models, such as parents within the family, characters on children’s TV, friends within their
peer group and teachers at school.
Social Learning is achieved in three ways:
a.by observing what happens to other people;
b. by being told about something;
c. through direct experience

PERCEPTION

One’s behavior is not only a function of its personality, values and preferences but also of a
situation. Mostly, we evaluate the environment, interpret events, formulate responses and act accordingly.
This underscore the essentials of understanding the concept of perception.

Perception is defined as the process by which a person detect and interpret information from their
environment.

Factors Influencing Perception

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Study Guide in (Mgt 102: Human Behavior in Organization) Module No. 3

1. the Perceiver

2. the Target

3. the Situation

The Perceiver

The person who view the target is the perceiver. His interpretation of the target is influenced by
factors that are unique to him such as:

1. past experiences

2. needs or motives

3. personality

4. values and attitudes

The Target

It is the person, object or event that is perceived by another person. The following are
characteristics of the target:

1. contrast

2. intensity

3. figure-ground separation

4. size

5. motion

6. repetition or novelty

The Situation

Surrounding environment also affects perception. The situational factors that affect perception are:

1. time

2. work setting

3. social setting

ATTRIBUTION
1. One theory that is also useful to better understand human behavior is attribution theory. It is the
process by which people assign causes to the behavior they perceive.

Common Attribution Errors

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Study Guide in (Mgt 102: Human Behavior in Organization) Module No. 3

When people try to determine the causes of people’s behavior, errors commonly happen. These
errors maybe classified into the following types:

1. The fundamental attribution errors

2. The self-serving bias

The fundamental attribution errors also known as correspondence bias or attribution effect refers
to the tendency for people overemphasize personal characteristics and under-emphasize the
influence of external factors.

The self-serving bias is an attribution error whereby people tend to ascribe their achievements to
their good inner qualities and they associate their failures to adverse factors within the environment.

Factors that Influence Attribution

1. Distinctiveness

2. Consensus

3. Consistency

Distinctiveness is the extent to which an individual behaves in the same way across different
situations.

The chance that all those facing the same situation will have the same or similar responses.

Consistency is the measure of whether a person respond the same way across time.

SHORTCUTS USED IN FORMING IMPRESSIONS OF OTHERS

1. Selective Perception

2. Halo effect

3. Contrast effects

4. Projection

5. Stereotyping

Selective perception is a process by which individuals selectively interpret what they see on the
basis of their interests, background, experience and attitudes.

Halo effect happens when one attribute of an individual or situation is used to develop an overall
impression of the person or situation.

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Study Guide in (Mgt 102: Human Behavior in Organization) Module No. 3

Contrast effects refers to the evaluation of a person’s characteristics that are affected by comparisons
with other people recently encountered who rank higher or lower on the same characteristics.

Projection is attributing one’s own thoughts, feelings, or motives to another.

Stereotyping refers to a generalized belief over a category pf people. It is judging someone on the
basis of one’s perception of the group to which that persons belongs.

SUMMARY

 It is very essential to have a knowledge of learning, perception and attribution for understanding
people’s behavior
 Change in behavior may be due to learning or other causes
 Classical conditioning, operant conditioning and social learning are theories that help explain the
learning process
 Perception is influenced by the characteristics of the perceiver, the target and the situation.
 Attribution is the process by which people ascribe causes to the behavior they perceive
 Attribution errors are fundamental attribution error and self-serving bias
 Attribution is affected by several factors such as distinctiveness, consensus, and consistency
 There are shortcuts in forming impression of others: selective perception, halo effect, contrast
effects, projection and stereotyping.

LEARNING ACTIVITIES

To be uploaded in the MS Teams Class-Assignment section

REFERENCES

Banfield Paul, Introduction to Human Resource Management, 3rd ed, , Oxford University Press,2018

Martin,Graeme, Siebet Sabina, Managing People and Organizations in Changing Context, Routledge, 2016

Medina, Roberto G., Human Behavior in Organization, Rex Bookstore,2011

Zarate, Cynthia, Organizational Behavior and Management in Philippine Organizations, Rex Bookstore

Judge, T. Robins, S.Organizational Behavior(17th ed).Pearson education limited, 2017

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Study Guide in (Mgt 102: Human Behavior in Organization) Module No. 3

https://www.skillsyouneed.com/learn/learning.html
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/behavior-change
the book
https://www.simplypsychology.org/classical-conditioning.html
https://www.verywellmind.com/classical-vs-operant-conditioning-2794861#:~:text=Classical%20conditioning
%20involves%20associating%20an,conditioning%20involves%20no%20such%20enticements.
https://www.simplypsychology.org/bandura.html
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-orgbehavior/chapter/3-4-perception/

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