In this essay we will discuss about ‘Attitude’. Find paragraphs, long and short essays on ‘Attitude’ especially written for school and college students.
Essay on Attitude
Essay Contents:
- Essay on the Definition of Attitude
- Essay on the Components of Attitude
- Essay on the Types of Attitude
- Essay on the Functions of Attitude
- Essay on the Methods of Changing Attitude
- Essay on the Importance of Attitude
Essay # 1. Definition of Attitude:
Attitude is defined as ones’ feelings or mood toward things, circumstances or people. Each individual is made up of various physical, vital, and mental parts. Everyone is having physical body and its organs, muscles, etc; the vital being with its sensations, emotions and feelings, and the mental part with its thoughts, memories, reasoning power, beliefs, etc. Somewhere between emotions and thought processing lie attitudes; one’s emotional perceptions about oneself, others, and life itself.
OR
Attitude is how one behaves towards somebody or something. It is one’s personal view, opinion or judgment. It also describes one’s general emotional approach toward a person or situation.
OR
Attitudes are evaluative statement favourable or unfavourable related to person, object or event. They reflect that how one feel about something. For example if someone says that he likes his job, this statement expresses his attitude towards his job. Each and every person has different attitude at different conditions.
OR
Attitude is the state of mind with which one approach a task, a challenge, a person, love, life in general.
Essay # 2. Components of Attitude:
There are three components of attitude:
(i) Cognitive component.
(ii) Effective component.
(iii) Behavioural component.
(i) Cognitive Component:
It refers to that part of attitude which is related in general know how of a person, for example, if a person says that smoking is injurious to health, such type of idea of a person is called cognitive component of attitude.
(ii) Effective Component:
This part of attitude is related to the statement, which affects another person. For example, if in an organization a personal report is given to the general manager. The report indicates that production staff is not performing their duties responsibilities. The general manager forwards a written notice to production manager to find out the cause of above said.
(iii) Behavioural Component:
The behavioural component refers to that part of attitude, which reflects the intension of a person in short run or in long run. For example, before the development of a new product, a report is prepared by the production department, which consists of their intention in near future and long run, and this report is handed over to top management for the decision.
Essay # 3. Types of Attitude:
Attitude is a way of thinking. People are often identified as having positive or negative, right or wrong, good or bad, optimistic or pessimistic, mindset. Attitudes generally express positively and negatively. For example, when a person is having good feelings towards his/her work or co-worker, his/her attitude is positive. When he/she feels reluctant to do certain things that are necessary, or show hostility towards certain individuals, then his/her attitude is negative.
(i) Positive Attitude:
A positive attitude means having an optimistic outlook. One responds constructively to stress and be able to deal with problems effectively. People having positive attitude see the glass as half full instead of seeing it as half empty.
A person’s attitude influences his/her social status, finances, health, the way he/she challenge obstacles and the kind of people they attract to their life. A positive attitude is important to people’s social status, health, work, the way they challenge obstacles and the kind of people they attract to their life.
A positive attitude will bring more positive opportunities into life. It attracts successful people who share the same goals. A positive attitude helps the body to heal faster from illness. A positive attitude helps in getting a job.
(ii) Negative Attitude:
Negative attitudes come from thinking negative thoughts over and over until they have become a part of person’s subconscious. One may not even realize that he/she is having a negative attitude because it’s been with him/her for so long.
A person having a bad attitude expects failure and disaster. An example of a negative attitude towards life is being pessimistic that things will never turn out well. These are destructive feeling and emotions that cannot help but worsen life’s conditions.
Essay # 4. Functions of Attitude:
Attitudes serve four important functions from the organization’s viewpoint behaviour.
These are as follows:
(i) Adjustment Function.
(ii) Ego-Defensive Function.
(iii) Value-Expressive Function.
(iv) Knowledge Function.
(i) Adjustment Function:
Attitudes often help people to adjust to their work environment. Well treated employees tend to develop a positive attitude towards their job; management and the organization in general while ill-treated organizational members develop a negative attitude. In other words, attitudes help employees adjust to their environment and form a basis for future behaviour.
(ii) Ego-Defensive Function:
Attitudes help people to retain their dignity and self- image. When a young faculty member who is full of fresh ideas and enthusiasm, joins the organization, the older members might feel somewhat threatened by him. But they tend to disapprove his creative ideas as ‘crazy’ and ‘impractical’ and dismiss him altogether.
(iii) Value-Expressive Function:
Attitudes provide individuals with a basis for expressing their values. For example, a manager who values hard and sincere work will be more vocal against an employee who is having a very casual approach towards work.
(iv) Knowledge Function:
Attitudes provide standards and frames of reference that allow people to understand and perceive the world around him. If one has a strong negative attitude towards the management, whatever the management does, it can be perceived as something ‘bad’ and as actually against them.
Essay # 5. Methods of Changing Attitude:
Employee’s attitudes can be changed and sometimes it is in the best interests of managements to try to do so.
Some of the possible ways of changing attitudes are:
(i) Providing New Information.
(ii) Use of Fear.
(iii) Resolving Discrepancies.
(iv) Influence of Friends and Peers.
(v) Co-Opting.
(i) Providing New Information:
Attitude can be changed by providing relevant and adequate information to the person concerned.
(ii) Use of Fear:
Attitudes can be changed through the use of fear. People might resort to change their work habit for the fear of unpleasant consequences.
(iii) Resolving Discrepancies:
Whenever people face a dilemma or conflicting situation they feel confused in choosing a particular course of action. For example when a person has to choose from between two alternative courses of action, it is often become difficult for him to decide which is right for him. If someone helps him in pointing out the positive points in favour of the chosen course of action, this helps in resolving his dilemma.
(iv) Influence of Friends and Peers:
A very effective way of changing one’s attitude is through his friends and colleagues. Their opinion and recommendation for something often proves to be more important.
(v) Co-Opting:
Co-opting is another method if there is need to change the attitude of some body that belongs to a different group. This can be done by including that person in the group.
Essay # 6. Importance of Attitude:
Attitude plays an important part in person’s life. It is important to remember attitude is everything. Attitude, whether positive or negative, shows in person’s daily lives. Many people say attitude is more important than experience or education. They often use attitude as the tie-breaker between two equally qualified candidates.
Person’s attitude determines the state of world he/she live in. It is the foundation for every success and every failure one has had and will have. Attitude is important because attitude truly is everything. It drives virtually every decision one makes and how one lives each day of life. Attitude will shape a person’s career. A great attitude will propel him forward, while a poor attitude will get him fired.
It has been found that people who have a good attitude remain healthier than their counterparts. This is because an optimistic attitude helps in preventing sadness, depression, anger, stress and anxiety and this in turn helps in preventing various medical problems.