CATEGORY-BASED AND FEATURE-BASED COGNITIVE-PROCESSES IN JOB IMPRESSIONS

Widely accepted cognitive models of job attitudes suggest that a perso n's job attitude results from the linear combination of attitudes towa rd individual job features (feature-based processing). This is a relat ively difficult cognitive process. We suggest that people act to econo mize scarce cognitive resources by using knowledge about job categorie s to generate job impressions when presented with category consistent job features. People use feature-based processing when presented with job features that are inconsistent with a job category. Our results su ggest that impressions do depend on the descriptive consistency of job features with a job category. The implications of the model for job p erceptions in the workplace are discussed.