In This Assignment You Apply And Integrate The Concepts Of A ✓ Solved

In This Assignment You Apply And Integrate The Concepts Of Attributio

In this assignment, you apply and integrate the concepts of attribution, attitude, behavior, and cognitive dissonance. Identify a situation in which an individual was persuaded into a decision to engage in behavior that violated social values, beliefs, attitudes, ethics, and/or morals, such as misrepresenting a product, underreporting income on taxes, falsifying services on a billing document, taking supplies from work, or engaging in vandalism. Write a 700-word paper in which you analyze your identified situation. Address the following items: Analyze the situation from the perspective of the individual's social, cultural, and spiritual influences and his or her ethics. Refrain from inserting your own judgments and opinions.

Discuss how attribution theory can be applied to the situation. Describe the reciprocal relationship between behavior and attitudes. Explain how the individual could have used cognitive dissonance theory to rationalize his or her behavior. Cite at least 3 references. Format your paper according to APA guidelines.

Sample Paper For Above instruction

The phenomenon of individuals engaging in unethical or morally questionable behavior under external influence has long intrigued psychologists and social scientists. This paper explores a specific instance where an individual chose to falsify a billing document to cover up personal misconduct. The analysis considers the influence of social, cultural, and spiritual factors, the application of attribution theory, the dynamic relationship between attitude and behavior, and the use of cognitive dissonance theory for rationalization.

Case Description

The subject, a mid-level employee at a healthcare organization, was pressured by supervisory staff to alter patient billing records to inflate charges. Believing that her actions would be justified due to the organization's financial difficulties and her desire to protect her job, she falsified the documents. She later rationalized her conduct by believing that she was merely helping the company survive, which aligns with her perception of corporate loyalty. This scenario exemplifies how external and internal factors intertwine to influence decision-making and ethical reasoning.

Social, Cultural, and Spiritual Influences

The individual's social environment emphasized loyalty and obedience to authority figures, which are common in hierarchical corporate cultures. Culturally, she was raised in an environment that prioritized collective success over individual morality, often implying that sacrifices are acceptable for the greater good. Spiritually, her beliefs centered on forgiveness and understanding rather than punishment, which may have reduced her feelings of guilt and justified her actions. These influences created a cognitive framework that diminished the perceived severity of her misconduct, aligning her behavior with her cultural and spiritual values.

Application of Attribution Theory

Attribution theory explains how individuals infer the causes of others' and their own behavior. In this case, the employee attributed her actions to external pressures, such as management’s directive and organizational hardship. She viewed her behavior as a response to circumstances beyond her control rather than as a moral failure. This external attribution served to protect her self-esteem and reduce cognitive dissonance associated with unethical conduct. Conversely, her internal attribution of being a loyal and responsible worker further reinforced justifications for her actions, highlighting the complex interplay between internal and external attributions.

Relationship Between Behavior and Attitudes

According to the reciprocal relationship framework, behavior and attitudes influence each other dynamically. Initially, her attitude towards organizational loyalty and her perceptions of external pressures motivated her to falsify billing records. Over time, her behavior reinforced her attitude, solidifying her belief that her actions were justified. This cyclical process illustrates how behavioral actions can shape and reinforce underlying attitudes, perpetuating unethical practices unless consciously challenged.

Cognitive Dissonance and Rationalization

The employee experienced cognitive dissonance — the discomfort of acting against her moral beliefs while valuing her job and loyalty to her employer. To reduce this discomfort, she employed rationalization, convincing herself that her conduct was necessary for organizational survival or that her individual contribution was insignificant. Cognitive dissonance theory demonstrates how individuals often generate justifications to align their behaviors with their self-concept and reduce psychological tension, thus perpetuating unethical actions.

Conclusion

This analysis illustrates the profound impact of social, cultural, and spiritual influences on ethical decision-making, as well as the importance of attribution and cognitive dissonance theories in understanding actions that violate personal and social morals. Recognizing these factors can help organizations develop strategies to promote ethical behavior, such as fostering a culture of accountability and transparency.

References

• Heider, F. (1958). The Psychology of Interpersonal Relations. New York: Wiley.
• Festinger, L. (1957). A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance. Stanford University Press.
• Jones, E. E., & Nisbett, R. E. (1972). The Actor and the Observer: Divergent Perceptions of the Cause of Behavior. General Learning Press.
• Cialdini, R. B. (2009). Influence: Science and Practice (5th ed.). Pearson Education.
• Baumeister, R. F., & Bushman, B. J. (2014). Social Psychology and Human Nature. Cengage Learning.