Organizational Behavior Quiz: Human Behavior in Organization

Study Notes

Psychologists and Their Theories

Sigmund Freud believed that irrational motives make up the hidden subconscious mind, which determines the major part of people's behavior.
John B. Watson formulated the theory of learned behavior, stating that a person can be trained to behave according to the wish of the trainer.
B.F. Skinner developed the theory of behavior modification, concluding that people tend to repeat their behavior when receiving a positive stimulus like money or praise.
Carl Rogers focused on the person as an individual, believing that people should acquire their own values and attitudes rather than adhering to a fixed set of prescribed goals.
Fritz Perls developed gestalt psychology, which aims to integrate conflicting needs into an organized whole, enabling personal growth and development.
Abraham Maslow referred to self-actualization, which can be achieved by working up a hierarchy of needs.

Ethics and Organizational Behavior

Ethics refer to the set of moral choices a person makes based on what they ought to do.
Organizational ethics define right or wrong behavior in organizations.
Ethical behavior is morally "good" and "right" as opposed to "bad" and "wrong".
Examples of ethical issues include conflict of interest, fairness and honesty, communication, and relationship within the organization.

Attitudes and Job Satisfaction

Attitudes are evaluative statements – either favorable or unfavorable – concerning objects, people, or events.
Cognitive, affective, and behavioral components of attitudes reflect how one feels about something.
Cognitive dissonance arises from any inconsistency between two or more attitudes, or between behavior and attitudes.
Job satisfaction is strongly correlated with the work itself and social components.

Human Behavior and Organizational Behavior

Human behavior refers to the physical actions of a person that can be seen or heard, exhibited with thoughts, feelings, emotions, and sentiments.
Organizational behavior is the study of human behavior in organizations, of the interaction between individuals and the organization, and of the organization itself.
The goals of OB are to explain and understand behavior, comprising people, structure, technology, and environment.
Personal growth and effectiveness are essential for success in the workplace.

Additional Key Concepts

Frederick W. Taylor is known as the father of scientific management, using scientific analysis and experiment to increase worker output.
Elton Mayo conducted the Hawthorne studies, concluding that social interaction is a factor for increased productivity.

Description

Test your knowledge on human behavior, organizational behavior, and the goals of organizational behavior. Explore how human actions, thoughts, and emotions are exhibited in different settings, including organizations.