Organizational behavior refers to the way that people, either as individuals or in groups, behave within the context of an organization. Psychological theories, meanwhile, seek to explain the reasons people behave as they do. The intersection of organizational behavior and psychological theory provides insight into why people act as they do in the context of work. Such insight can help leaders create environments conducive to better performance. Specific psychological theories have different relationships with organizational behaviors.
Motivation in employees allows them to sustain effort in a particular direction for some period of time. Naturally, management wants motivated employees. But, motivated by what and to what end? Psychological theory often attempts to explain motivation through evaluating people's needs. In Maslows' theory, for instance, needs are ordered from those of basic survival to metaphysical fulfillment. The lowest unmet need, according to theory, is the one driving an individual's behavior. Meshing the motivations of employees with a company's needs can help leaders achieve goals.
Social exchange theory refers to cooperative, reciprocal behavior that emerges when a person is the recipient of some benefit. A relationship begins when a benefactor bestows something upon another and the recipient, in turn, returns the favor by becoming the benefactor. As the exchange of benefits continues, the relationship grows, built on a sense of mutual obligation and an implied contract. In terms of organizational behavior, social exchange theories predict that those in leadership roles can garner employee backing for company agendas if those employees are treated favorably. If an organization breaks its contract by not keeping benefits up, employees may feel released from their contract with the employer at the cost of loyalty and effort on the company's behalf.
The advent of the 21st century saw the development of a new way of approaching organizational behavior. Instead of trying to eliminate the negative, current psychological theory looks at accentuating the positive. This new study falls under the positive psychology movement. Phrases such as "positive organizational behavior" or "positive organizational psychology" are used when positive psychology is applied to organizational behavior. Applied that way, it looks at the positive psychological capital of an organization -- in other words, this new theoretical approach emphasizes what's right and figures out where it comes from so an organization can propagate more of the same. Confidence, hope, resiliency and optimism -- these are the important positive psychological traits that lay behind constructive activity and organizational behavior. This capital can belong to individuals, groups, leaders and to the organization itself.
Social identity theory refers to the identity a person feels as a member of a group. A sense of group belonging can be a powerful force in an organization because people tend to favor others who are of their group as an extension of self. This can be damaging if the social identity is, for instance, based on race or gender. On the other hand, social identity can create a sense of camaraderie among members of a work team and give it a competitive edge.
- Social Psychology: Robert A. Baron, et al.
- Management: Meeting and Exceeding Expectations: Warren R. Plunkett, et al.
- "Journal of Organizational Behavior"; Perceived Organizational Support and Psychological Contracts: A Theoretical Integration
- "The Journal of Positive Psychology"; Positive Organizational Psychology, Behavior, and Scholarship: A Review of the Emerging Literature and Evidence Base
- Simply Psychology: Social Identity Theory