Week 2, Monday Lecture Outline

Motivation

Week 2, Monday

Psychology 360

Lecture Outline

• I. Need theory
• II. Equity theory
• III. Job characteristics

Maslow's hierarchy theory

• five types of needs
• physiological, safety, social, esteem, self-actualization
• activated in order

Alderfer's ERG theory

• three types of needs
• existence, relatedness, and growth
• not activated in order

Equity Theory

• Balance between inputs and outcomes:
  • based on perception
  • compare your grade to similar others
• Three states:
  • "overpayment" = higher grade
  • "underpayment" = lower grade
  • "equitable" = grade equal to others

Responses to "underpayment"

• behavioral -- reduce effort; plead for a higher grade
• psychological rationalization: Grades are overvalued!

Responses to "overpayment"

• behavioral -- increase effort, make fewer demands on instructors
• psychological rationalization: I'm worth it

Job characteristics model
Job enlargement

• change job content by increasing the number of tasks
• tasks at same level, horizontal job loading

Job enrichment

• change job content by increasing responsibility and control over tasks
• tasks at different level, vertical job loading

Enrich-O-Matic

• Use the Job Characteristics Model to enrich the following:
  • Ben Hamper's Cab Shop job
• Hints about the Job Characteristics Model:
  • skill variety, task identity, and task significance affect the meaningfulness of work
  • autonomy affects responsibility
  • feedback affects knowledge of results

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Copyright © 1996, The Regents of the University of Michigan, All rights reserved.
Revised - November 4, 1996