Understanding individual behaviour is crucial for managing people effectively within organizations. Every employee is unique in terms of how they perceive, react, and interact in workplace settings. Three core psychological constructs that deeply influence behaviour at work are personality, perception, and attitudes. This chapter explores how these factors shape human behaviour, decision-making, and performance in organizations, and how managers can harness this understanding to build better teams and culture.

Personality refers to the enduring characteristics and traits that define an individual’s behaviour across situations. It is what makes each person distinct in their thoughts, emotions, and actions. Gordon Allport defined personality as 'the dynamic organization within the individual of those psychophysical systems that determine his characteristic behaviour and thought.'

Personality is shaped by a combination of: • Heredity – Genetic factors like temperament, intelligence, physical features. • Environment – Family, culture, social groups, and early life experiences. • Situational Factors – Specific contexts may bring out different aspects of personality.

The Big Five Model: a. Openness to Experience – Creativity, curiosity. b. Conscientiousness – Reliability, responsibility. c. Extraversion – Sociability, assertiveness. d. Agreeableness – Cooperation, trust. e. Neuroticism (Emotional Stability) – Calmness vs. anxiety. Other OB-Relevant Traits: – Locus of Control – Internal vs. external belief in control over events. – Self-Esteem – Degree of self-worth. – Risk-Taking – Willingness to take decisions under uncertainty. – Machiavellianism – Manipulative behaviour for personal gain. – Type A/B Personality – Competitive and time-urgent vs. relaxed.

Person-Job Fit Theory (Holland's Theory): Six personality types (Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, Conventional) and matching job environments influence job satisfaction and performance.

Perception is the process of interpreting sensory inputs to understand the environment. In OB, perception influences how employees view tasks, leaders, colleagues, and the organization. "Perception is not what is actually there; it is what we interpret from what is there."

1. Receiving Stimuli – Through senses. 2. Selective Attention – Filtering based on interest, experience, etc. 3. Interpretation – Attaching meaning. 4. Response – Behavioural reaction.

• Perceiver-related – Attitudes, motives, experience, expectations. • Target-related – Novelty, motion, size, background. • Situation-related – Time, work setting, social environment.

• Halo Effect – One trait affects overall judgment. • Stereotyping – Group-based generalization. • Selective Perception – Filtering based on interest. • Projection – Attributing one’s own traits to others. • Contrast Effect – Evaluation based on comparison.

• Misperception leads to conflict, low morale, and poor appraisals. • Managers should train for perceptual awareness and reduce bias.

Attitude is a learned predisposition to respond positively or negatively towards a certain idea, object, person, or situation.

1. Affective – Emotional response (e.g., “I dislike micromanagement.”) 2. Behavioural – Intention to act (e.g., “I will avoid such jobs.”) 3. Cognitive – Beliefs (e.g., “Micromanaging reduces efficiency.”)

• Job Satisfaction – Positive feeling about the job. • Organizational Commitment – Emotional attachment to the organization. • Job Involvement – Degree of psychological identification with the job. • Employee Engagement – Dedication and absorption in one’s work.

• Sources: – Direct experience – Social learning (peers, leaders) – Organizational culture • Attitude Change: – Via persuasive communication – Role of cognitive dissonance: inconsistency between beliefs and actions leads to attitude change.

• Predicts work behaviour (e.g., absenteeism, turnover). • Influences team dynamics and employee motivation. • Important in performance appraisal, change management, and conflict resolution.

Concept Influences on OB Personality Affects how employees behave and interact. Perception Shapes how reality is interpreted and responded to. Attitudes Influence motivation, engagement, and satisfaction. These three are interconnected. A person’s personality traits influence their perception of workplace events, which in turn affect their attitudes and responses. For example, a conscientious employee (personality) may perceive a strict deadline as a challenge and feel positively committed (attitude), whereas a less motivated one might see it as pressure and develop negative sentiments.

Understanding individual behaviour through the lenses of personality, perception, and attitudes helps managers predict, influence, and manage employee behaviour effectively. These psychological constructs are not just theoretical—they directly impact performance, team cohesion, and organizational success. An organization that aligns employee personality with roles, minimizes perceptual biases, and fosters positive attitudes builds a strong, adaptable workforce ready for long-term growth.