Social Influence and Motivation in the Workplace
Compliance
Compliance is the social influence process whereby a person or a minority modifies their feelings, opinions, and behaviors toward the position held by the majority group as a result of physical or symbolic pressure it exerts.
Innovation
Innovation is the process of minority influence on the majority. It occurs in a situation in which most have already developed a criterion, which is then modified because of the influence of the minority.
Blind Obedience
Blind obedience is a special case of conformism (influence of a quantitative majority over the minority) that occurs when the influence is exerted by a figure of authority and power (mostly qualitative). In some cases, obedient subjects can perform certain acts that they would individually deplore.
Extrinsic and Intrinsic Motivation
Extrinsic Motivation
Extrinsic motivation is triggered by aspects of work that are not inherent in the activities performed by the worker but are related to the working environment and undergo external control. People may occupy a certain position because they need the salary or because it is the only place they got, although their work or occupation does not satisfy them.
Intrinsic Motivation
Intrinsic motivation is activated by needs, values, goals, and thoughts directly caused by work activities related to job content and which the person perceives as internal control. It is a work activity that is somehow gratifying, and thus the worker feels that their results depend especially on themselves.
Justice or Fairness
Favorable: The individual receives good results from their effort, and the other does too.
Unfavorable: The individual does not feel compensated for their efforts, and neither does the other.
Injustice or Unfairness
Favorable Injustice: The relationship between contributions and results is more advantageous for the focal person than for the other.
Unfavorable Injustice: The relationship between contributions and results is more advantageous to the other than the focal person.
The equity theory argues that people will decide to do more or less work if they perceive a balance or equity between, on the one hand, their efforts and results and, on the other hand, the efforts and results of others. In short, individuals in the workplace want to be treated fairly and compensated in relation to their efforts and performance and in relation to others.
Expectancy-Valence Theory
Definition
Valence
Valence is the interest or value each worker assigns to the end result of their work performance. It can be positive or negative for each individual. Examples include salary, promotion, feeling useful, having room for improvement, social prestige, and so on.
Instrumentality
Instrumentality is the belief that job performance is the instrument to achieve the desired results. In other words, it is the estimate that the final result and the activity are directly related, with the former being a consequence of the latter. In short, it is the belief that the way to get what I want is through my effort and performance.
Expectancy
Expectancy is the degree of certainty that the individual has that a given work performance will produce the desired result. This force is the belief or expectation that the action taken (effort) will cause a certain level of performance or outcome. The subject’s self-esteem (general beliefs about their abilities) and previous experience in similar situations influence this expectation. The greater the self-esteem and the more frequently performance levels have been reached in previous experiences, the greater the expectation.
For Vroom, an individual’s motivation to perform a particular action depends on the creation or expectation that the effort will allow for a certain outcome (instrumentality) and the value or importance given to the result achieved (valence).
Goal-Setting Theory
The objectives, goals, and work that people pursue determine the level of effort and dedication they are willing to make. Therefore, the work of management in the definition, approach, and guidance of professional goals is essential in the motivation of human groups:
- People have more motivation if they are told what and where they are working, that is, if their career goals are clearly and concretely explained.
- Employee participation in setting goals and objectives to achieve through their efforts increases the quantity and quality of performance.
- Ambitious goals, which are somewhat difficult to achieve, if accepted by the subject who has to achieve them, lead to better outcomes than those easier to reach. Moreover, satisfaction is greater when difficult goals are achieved.
Self-Efficacy Theory
According to Bandura, the interest and motivation that a person has in their work largely depend on their ability to achieve good results, i.e., on their perceived self-efficacy. Feeling capable of doing a job increases interest and effort in doing it. Thus, fostering a sense of self-efficacy among staff members is a primary task of management.