CENTRAL LUZON DOCTORS’ HOSPITAL

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION
Romulo Highway, San Pablo, Tarlac City
Department of Graduates Studies in Nursing

HUMAN BEHAVIOR IN ORGANIZATION

CHAPTER 01 : FUNDAMENTALS OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR

A. INTRODUCTION

We need to study human behavior even as we participate in the day-to-day processes and activities of human
life. The need to understand the behavior of others especially those we come in contact with, and the need to
anticipate and predict how others may act in certain situations are important since we are affected by their
actions.

We study human behavior in order to have an understanding of the actions of people. Its professional
analysis could very well help an organization achieve its goals and pave the way for more productive
relationships among individuals in groups and among groups in the organization. Hellrieger and Slocum
expressed . . . “events do not occur merely by chance, but rather, that events are linked together.” By
understanding and learning to anticipate the behavior of others, we also learn to influence others as shown in
Milton’s model of understanding, predicting, and influencing. The understanding of people’s behavior makes
the anticipation and prediction of events easier and smoother. We can thus influence them to think, feel, and
act accordingly.

The study of human behavior is certainly indispensable in the formulation of laws, rules, policies, etc.
Society cannot function at its maximum for the people if its components of the organization in which the
individual belongs do not have guidelines that are appropriate and that provide for the satisfaction of his
needs and for the attainment of his goals.

The realm of science and technology will be useless without the study of human behavior for it is their aim to
make man live better and easier. Scientists and technologists wouldn’t know what to invent if they are not
familiar with man’s needs.

Business, especially marketing, will not thrive without a study of people’s wants and desires. Man would not
and cannot buy all the products and services the company offers. Selective buying is a behavior that an
organization should be aware of and understand. For a firm, studying behavior can increase its productivity
for it provides knowledge and information which can be the bases for improving its performance, for rational
decision and policy-making, for better planning and organizing, personnel and human resources recruitment,
screening, selection, promotion, and development.

It is worthwhile to study human behavior primarily because we are part of the human race, and it is by
studying human behavior that we look not only into the personality of others but into our personalities as
well. We come to terms with ourselves, understand different aspects of our personality, and find ways to
 improve ourselves and grow. Through introspection, we create self-awareness, an important ingredient in
relating ourselves with others.
B. NATURE AND SCOPE OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR

Any act of an individual person which is considered human behavior is a reflection of his thoughts, feelings,
emotions, sentiments whether conscious or not. It mirrors his needs, values, motivation,
aspirations, conflicts, and state of life. Behavior, therefore, consists of all human activities. Human
behavior occurs anywhere and everywhere. It is committed alone, with another person, with a group or an
organization. The principles and concepts that underlie behavior are basic. It is their implementation and
practice that differ from group to group or from one country to another.

Human behavior which is also called human act is different from act of man. When man performs an act with
free will, he does a human act. He is responsible for such act which is performed with alternatives to choose
from. It is free will from whence responsibility emanates and flows that makes man a human being performs
human acts or human behavior.

An act of man is performed by one who is forced to do so at the risk of his own life. He does not have any
other alternative/s to choose from. He is not given the opportunity to use his free will and thus, he is not
responsible for this act. He, therefore, commits an act of man. An example is a man marrying a woman at the
point of a gun. Instincts and reflexes are other examples of acts of man.

Human behavior can be understood best by developing frameworks from the behavioral sciences which
represent a systematic body of knowledge pertaining to why and how people behave as they do.

ASSUMPTIONS

1. Every person is significantly different from the moment of conception. From the time an individual is
conceived, he undergoes a plethora of changes – physical, mental, social, psychological – as he grows
and develops from childhood to adulthood.

2. Every person is a constantly active, goal-seeking organism. Whether consciously or unconsciously, he is

3. Every person is dynamic. Status quo does not characterize his state since he is barraged by different
forces around him.

4. The characteristics of an organization influence the behavior of the entire organization and, to a great
extent, the behavior of individuals within it as well.

5. Behavior cannot be predicted with one hundred percent accuracy since it arises from the varying needs
and value systems of many different people.

6. There are no simple formulas for working with people. No one best answer. No ideal organization
exists, neither an ideal person.
CONCEPTS

1. Almost all behavior is learned. This applies to adults and children whose learning can be altered.
However, this is not true to a newly born infant and to a fetus in the mother’s womb. The former sucks
milk from the mother’s breast through instinct. By and large, learning is the first step in behaving.
Whatever is learned can be modified or changed.

2. Human being adapts. In accordance with their needs and values, individuals adjust to their environment.
When their new learnings are congruent with their value system, they adopt them. What is adopted
becomes part of their culture.

PRINCIPLES

1. Thorndike’s law of effect states that behavior which is followed by a satisfying state of affairs tends to
be repeated but a behavior followed by an unsatisfactory condition tends to be extinguished.

2. Stimuli are those forces which impact the sensory organs of our five sensory input channels – sight,
hearing, smell, taste, and touch. The impact of stimuli is a function of frequency, recency, and felt
intensity. Communication, in all cases, consists of the creation of stimuli.

3. Behavior is caused but its causality is uncertain and usually multiple. It may be classified as having
either a rational (cognitive) or an emotional (affective) basis.

4. Classical conditioning is a powerful technique for altering the behavior of others. But man’s freedom of
the will makes him responsible for his actions.

5. There are no two individuals who are alike in all dimensions. The differences become more striking as
they are compared from the physical to the socio-psychological components. Hence, the great disparity
in behavior even between twins, since behavior is a reflection of a person’s physical, mental,
psychological characteristics

C. METHODS OF STUDYING HUMAN BEHAVIOR

Human behavior is a phenomenon which was observed, described, and speculated on cursorily sans any
formal and written objectives and procedures. The maintenance of good relationships between and among
individuals and groups was considered an art which mainly used speculation, informal and irregular
observation of people and incidents. Philosophy based on speculation and logic and physiology based on
experimental observation were the only two main approaches to the study of human behavior.

The study of human behavior as a science began only in the 19th century. It was an offshoot of the studies in
various disciplines like psychology, sociology, anthropology, and economics. Its foundations are rooted in
these sciences. The methods used in the study of human behavior are the same as those in other sciences –
experiments, surveys and case method. It makes use of observation, interview, questionnaire, check list,
scales psychological tests, and statistics.
1. THREE-LEVEL METHOD

Milton proposed a model of studying human behavior at three levels: individual, group, and
organization. It is called the I-G-O Model. This classification is the basis for differentiating the
content of the courses in human behavior offered at the three program levels in schools. At the
undergraduate level, the individual is the focus of attention; in the master’s program, emphasis is
placed on the group; and at the doctoral level, human behavior is studied at the organizational level.

2. INTERDISCIPLINARY MODEL.

Human behavior in organization is inter- and multi-disciplinary. At the individual level, psychology
provides knowledge of perception, motivation and learning, while physiology and anatomy gives
information and principles on the body and how it works. At the group level. Sociology and other
disciplines like social work and education have given much contribution. Sociology offers insights
into the roles, norms, authority, power, influence and status. Anthropology and other sciences like
economics, business, law and medicine have wrought more changes and influences on human
behavior at the organizational level. Culture and its artifacts are the main contribution of
anthropology in the study of behavior in organization.

HUMAN BEHAVIOR
INDIVIDUAL GROUP ORGANIZATION

Psychology and other Sociology and other Anthropology and other

VARIOUS SCIENCES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE UNDERSTANDING OF HUMAN

3. DEVELOPMENTAL MODEL

People grow and move to higher levels of resourcefulness, creativity, competency, and self-
realization through proper maintenance, recognition, and development programs. Keith and Davis
call this the “human resources (supportive)approach.” These basic and potent needs are recognized
and fulfilled by the organization which considers them as “the central resource in any organization
and any society.

To the extent that people are well screened and selected, maintained and supported, recognized and
developed, they can bring in and develop the various artifacts of an organization: philosophy
(mission, goals, objectives, aims), funds (equity, borrowings, loans), values (needs, responsibilities),
facilities (land, building, equipment, supplies), and technology (processes, knowhow). People are the
 main crux and heart of the organization; the six components are at their beck and call. These six
components affect the individual who alters his behavior in a context which he himself has created.

4. SYSTEMS MODEL

A social system is a complex and dynamic set of relation- ships among its actors interacting with one
another. An organization is a social system consisting of various parts at its subsystems. The systems
theory posits that the organization is an open system with internal and external factors impinging on
its subsystems making it very fluid, tenuous, dynamic and complex and these parts are
interdependent and interrelated with each other This concept is opposed to the traditional view of a
closed system with independent and un-interrelated parts.

5. CONTINGENCY MODEL

The varied factors in each problematic situation may constitute a unique condition. The problem-
solver must explicitly consider the specific conditions to which a problem relates instead of simply
prescribing a solution which may have worked elsewhere but under different conditions. This means
that “no solution can work under all circumstances.” Every problem must be studied and analyzed in
light of complex factors that may be highly interrelated with each other.