Page 159 - DMGT519_Conflict Management and Negotiation Skills

Unit 8: Role of Attitude and Persuasion

Notes
8.17 Eustress and Distress
8.18 Summary

8.19 Keywords
8.20 Review Questions
8.21 Further Readings

Objectives

After studying this unit, you will be able to:
 Define and explain the ABC Model of Attitude
 Discuss about job satisfaction and organizational commitment
 State about the consequences of Stress

 Discuss about Three symbols of power
Introduction

Employees’ attitudes can be changed and sometimes it is in the best interests of managements to
try to do so. For example, if employees believe that their employer does not look after their
welfare, the management should try to change their attitude and help develop a more positive
attitude in them. However, the process of changing the attitude is not always easy. There are
some barriers which have to be overcome if one strives to change somebody’s attitude.

8.1 ABC Model of Attitude

An attitude is a psychological tendency that is expressed by evaluating an entity with some
degree of favor or disfavor. (dictionary.com) Our attitude affects the way we behave and react
towards people. The ABC model breaks down the meaning of an attitude in three different
components. The components are affect, behavioral intentions, and cognitions. All of these
components greatly affect our attitudes. Affect has to do with how a person feels. Behavioral
intentions are how a person acts, and cognition is how a person thinks. Attitudes are formed
through life lessons, the people around, and personal experience.

8.1.1 How Attitudes are Formed

Cognitive dissonance is the tension that is produced when there is a conflict between attitudes
and behavior. (Dictionary of the English Language) It motivates a person to change there attitude
and behavior. The experimenter pressures or offers a reward to a person to persuade them to be
part of an experiment. An example of this theory is, a professor persuades a student to be part of
an experiment, and offers them twenty dollars. When the student hesitates the professor says “It
will only take a few minutes. The regular person that does it, is usually reliable. This is the first
time she missed the experiment. If we need you we will call you in advance, and if you can’t
make if we won’t expect you to come.” (Cognitive Dissonance) Their point is to see how much
of and effect they have on a person’s thoughts, opinions, and behavior.

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