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Three factors affecting the organizational behavior based on the attitudes and perceptions

Submitted by

Sein Wai Hlyan

BUS 5113 Organizational Theory and Behavior - AY2022-T2

Instructor: Dr. Samirah Merritt

University of the People

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Three factors affecting the organizational behavior based on the attitudes and perceptions

Attitude and perception are two factors that influence an individual's everyday life

including workplace and organizational performance (Writer, 2020). In psychology, an attitude

refers to a set of emotions, beliefs, and behaviors toward a particular object, person, thing, or

event (Cherry, 2021). Sometimes, attitudes can have a powerful influence over behavior as the

result of experience or upbringing. According to McLeod (2018a), a person’s behavior should be

consistent with their attitude(s) because people are rational and attempt to behave rationally at all

times. For perception, it can be defined as the sensory experience of the world, which involves

both recognizing environmental stimuli and actions in response to these stimuli (Cherry, 2021).

Based on the perceptual process, we gain information of the environment that is critical to our

survival. Perception can give experience of the world around us and allow us to act within our

environment.

Among other factors which have positive or negative influence to a personal and

organizational context, this research will present following three factors related to our behavior

to get in the way of understanding the truth within a message:

 Stereotype

 Prejudice

 Discrimination

Stereotype

Stereotype is a central concern in society and in the workplace and based on the cognitions that

drive what individuals know, believe, and expect from others as a result of their social identities.

In addition, stereotypes are one of the prediction types on how individuals view and treat one
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another at work (Sawyer & Judith, 2020). People are more likely to perform better in a

workplace when they are happy to come to work, feel respected and safe. When stereotyping is

happening to an individual, the work environment for him or her will become tainted with

negativity through feelings like unsafe or unhappy, anxiety, sick and no willing to focus on work

(Leonard, 2018). This all leads to lower productivity. As such, it’s important not only to break

down and combat the use of stereotypes in the workplace but also to overcome them with

fairness and equity within organization. Here are four suggested ways from OpenSesame (n.d.)

to eliminate the stereotypes:

 Enhancing job training to make people feel prepared and valued

 Positively shaping the background information about a task

 Stressing the importance of effort and motivation along with results

 Watching out for undermining signals

Prejudice

Another factor which can affect organizational behavior is Prejudice. Prejudice refers to

the beliefs, thoughts, feelings, and attitudes someone holds about a group and is not based on

experience. Individuals might hold these prejudices without acting on them openly. Therefore,

prejudice can be insidious in the workplace. Prejudice occurs when individuals in the workplace

have authoritarian personalities, believing that conflict is natural, relying on stereotypes to justify

their prejudices, feeling safer when socially identifying with a group with perceived shared

characteristics (Rush, n.d.).

According to Mendoza-Denton (2011), travelling somewhere that challenges personal

worldview (will know people who are doing something different are the oddball), taking a course
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on prejudice (can give the self-insight and motivation needed to undertake the journey of

change), valuing egalitarianism (will know weak points which help to address prejudice vs.

egalitarian better), laughing a little (smiles and happiness are enough to trump racial bias), acting

like a conserver to save the planet (will know a collective challenge is important when a

collective problem happens), making a cross-race friend ( intergroup friendship is an effective

antidote) are strategies for reducing prejudices.

Discrimination

Discrimination is the usual negative behavior or actions towards an individual or group of

people, especially on the basis of sex, race, and social class, etc. (McLeod, 2008b). Perceiving

discrimination has effects on both the employee and the work environment. These effects are not

limited to physical but also mental effects on the employee including depression, developing

anxiety disorders, loss of self-control leading to the employee becoming hostile or even

attempting suicide (Etheridge, 2015). Weekes (2017) suggests the managers and leaders the

following tasks for preventing discrimination in the workplace:

 educating workers about discrimination,

 encouraging workers to respect each other’s differences,

 responding to any evidence or complaints of inappropriate behavior,

 dealing with any complaints of discrimination promptly and confidentially,

 developing a workplace policy that prohibits discrimination,

 offering training on how to respond to discrimination in the workplace,

 making sure the workplace policy is properly enforced, and

 reviewing the policy regularly to ensure that its effectiveness is maintained.

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References

Cherry, K. (2021, February 20). Attitudes and Behavior in Psychology. Retrieved November 19,

2021, from verywellmind: https://www.verywellmind.com/attitudes-how-they-form-

change-shape-behavior-2795897

Etheridge, N. A. (2015, February 12). Effects of discrimination in the workplace. Retrieved

November 20, 2021, from U.S.Army:

https://www.army.mil/article/142799/effects_of_discrimination_in_the_workplace

Leonard, K. ( 2018, November 05). How Does Stereotyping Affect the Workplace Environment?

Retrieved November 20, 2021, from Chron:

https://smallbusiness.chron.com/stereotyping-affect-workplace-environment-78286.html

McLeod, S. (2018a, May 21). Attitudes and behavior. Retrieved November 20, 2021, from

Simply Psychology: www.simplypsychology.org/attitudes.html

McLeod, S. (2008b). Prejudice and Discrimination. Retrieved November 20, 2021, from Symply

Psychology: https://www.simplypsychology.org/prejudice.html

Mendoza-Denton, R. (2011, January 3). The Top 10 Strategies for Reducing Prejudice. Greater

Good Magazine.

OpenSesame. (n.d.). Stereotype Threat in the Workplace: What Your Business Should Know.

Retrieved November 20, 2021, from OpenSesame:

https://www.opensesame.com/site/blog/stereotype-threat-workplace-what-your-business-

should-know/
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Rush, M. (n.d.). Definition of Prejudice in the Workplace. Retrieved November 20, 2021, from

The Nest: https://woman.thenest.com/definition-prejudice-workplace-21560.html

Sawyer, K., & Judith, J. A. (2020, February 28). Stereotypes at Work. Retrieved November 20,

2021, from Oxford Research Encyclopedias:

https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190224851.013.50

Weekes, J. (2017, Sep 09). 8 ways to prevent discrimination in your workplace. Retrieved

November 20, 2021, from Health & Safety Handbook:

https://healthandsafetyhandbook.com.au/bulletin/8-ways-to-prevent-discrimination-in-

your-workplace/

Writer, S. (2020, March 29). What Is the Difference Between Perception and Attitude? Retrieved

November 20, 2021, from Reference: https://www.reference.com/world-view/difference-

between-perception-attitude-63f45c8509bb74e7