Cognitive and Affective Identification in Organizational Settings

1. Cognitive and Affective Identification in Organizational Settings Michael D. Johnson Frederick P. Morgeson Michigan State University Slides and paper available online at www.msu.edu/~john1781

2. Social IdentificationDevelopment of the Construct Tajfel (1972) Both cognitive and affective dimensions �that part of an individual�s self-concept which derives from his knowledge of his membership of a social group (or groups) together with the value and emotional significance attached to that membership� Turner (1982) Social identities are an integral part of the cognitive structure of the self-concept Ashforth & Mael (1989)

3. Social IdentificationDimensions Cognitive �When a person�s self-concept contains the same attributes as those in the perceived organizational identity, we define this cognitive connection as organizational identification� (Dutton, Dukerich, & Harquail, 1994) Our definition: The thoughts or beliefs regarding the extent to which individuals define themselves on the basis of a social referent Affective Positive feelings about one�s membership, including pride, enthusiasm, and a sense of affiliation or �belongingness� with others (Albert et al., 1998) Our definition: the feelings individuals experience about themselves in relation to the social referent and the value they place on that social identity

4. Social IdentificationMeasurement Most existing measures are cognitive in nature �I am very interested in what others think about my organization� (Mael & Ashforth, 1992) Some include affective items (e.g., �I am glad to be a member of this company,� Abrams, Ando, & Hinkle, 1998) Many existing measures are target-specific �If a story in the media criticized the organization, I would feel embarrassed� (Mael & Ashforth, 1992) �In my work group, there is a lot of team spirit among the members� (Riordan & Weatherly, 1999)

5. Study 1Measure Development

6. Study 2Antecedents, Attitudes, & Outcomes