Attitudes are evaluative statements—either favorable or unfavorable—about objects, people, or events. They reflect how we feel about something. When you say, “I like my job,” you are expressing your attitude about your work. Typically, researchers assume that attitudes have three components: cognition, affect, and behavior.

The statement “My pay is low” is a cognitive component of an attitude—a description of or belief in the way things are. It sets the stage for the more critical part of an attitude—its affective component. Affect is the emotional or feeling segment of an attitude reflected in the statement, “I am angry over how little I’m paid.” Affect can lead to behavioral outcomes.

The behavioral component of an attitude describes an intention to behave a certain way toward someone or something—as in, “I’m going to look for another job that pays better.” Viewing attitudes as having three components—affect, behavior, and cognition—helps understand their complexity and the potential relationship between attitudes and behavior. In organizations, attitudes are important for their behavioral component.