Introduction to Individual Behaviour

What is behaviour ?• Behaviour is the pattern of how a person responds to a stimulus.

Responses can be influenced byCulture: the shared patterns of behaviors and interactions, cognitive constructs, and affective understanding that are learned through a process of socialization. These shared patterns identify the members of a culture group while also distinguishing those of another group.Attitude: a hypothetical construct that represents an individual's like or dislike for an item; mental position relative to a way of thinking or being. The current popular usage of attitude implies a negative mindset, a "chip on the shoulder" behavior, and an inner anger toward the prevailing majority of thought Emotion: a feeling that is private and subjective; a state of psychological arousal an expression or display of distinctive somatic and autonomic responses.Values: beliefs of a person or social group in which they have an emotional investment (either for or against something)Ethics: response based on what is right; the process of determining how one should hold the interests of various stakeholders, taking into account moral values/principlesAuthority: the power or right to give orders or make decisions Coercion: obtaining a response by use force; compelling a person to behave in an involuntary way (whether through action or inaction) by use of threats/intimidation Persuasion: obtaining a response by convincing a person; the process of guiding people toward the adoption of an idea, attitude, or action by rational and symbolic (though not always logical) means. It is strategy of problem-solving relying on "appeals" rather than force.Genetics: inherited from parents; pertaining to genes or any of their effects.

Why to study Individual Behaviour?

• Learn one’s own behaviour patternInterpret one’s own behaviour patternTake corrective measures to develop appropriate behaviour pattern for personal effectivenessDevelop Self CompetencySelf CompetencyUnderstanding one’s own personalityTaking responsibility for managing oneselfAssessing and establishing one’s own developmental, personal and work related goals

A Management Student should cultivate 6 basic competencies

• Intellectual• Personal• Communication• Interpersonal• Leadership• Result Orientation

Perception – • Meaning• Factors influencing perception• Errors in perception

Perception

• Perception is the process by which individuals organize and interpret their sensory impression in order to give meaning to their environment.

• Perception is the process of receiving information about and making sense of the world around us. It involves deciding which information to notice, how to categorize this information, and how to interpret it within the frame work of our knowledge.

• This perceptual process is affected by three variables:

o The object being perceivedo The environment in which perception occurs.o The individual doing the perception.

•People’s behavior is based on their perception of what reality is, not on reality itself.

•The world as it is perceived is the world that is behaviorally important.

•People’s behavior is based on their perception of what reality is, not on reality itself.

•The world as it is perceived is the world that is behaviorally important.

Perception Process

Perceptual inputs/ stimuli•Objects •Events•People

Perceptual mechanismSelection Interpretation Organization

Perceptual outputs•Attitudes•Opinions•Beliefs

Behavior

Characteristics of the situation•Time•Location etc

Characteristics of the perceiver•Needs and motives•Self concept•Past experiences•Current psychological state•Beliefs•Expectations etc.

Factors influencing perceptionFactors in the situation•Time•Work setting•Social setting

Factors in the perceiver•Attitude•Motives•Interests•Experience•Expectations•Self concept

Factors in the target•Novelty•motion• sound•Size •Background•Proximity•similarity

Perceptual errors

• Selective Perception/ perceptual defense: People selectively interpret what they see on the basis of their interests, background, experience, and attitudes. They do so to protect themselves against any idea or situation that are threatening to them.

Perceptual errors

• Halo Effect: Drawing a general impression about an individual on the basis of a single characteristic, either favorable or unfavorable.

Perceptual errors

• Contrast Error: 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.

Perception errors

• Projection/similarity error:

tendency to see others having characteristics more like our own.

Perception errors

• Stereotyping: Judging someone on the basis of one’s perception of the group to which that person belongs.

Perceptual Errors

• Expectancy effects: It is the extent to which prior expectations bias perception of events, objects, and people.

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