Chapter 2 - learning

Question 1

What is Learning?

Answer 1

A relatively permanent change in behavior occurring as a result of practice or experience

Question 2

Why do we care about learning?

Answer 2

This is all about increasing desired behaviors (e.g., task performance, citizenship behaviors, etc.)
AND decreasing undesired behaviors (e.g., counterproductive work behaviors, unsafe workplace behaviors, etc.)

Question 3

Law of effect

Answer 3

people repeat behaviours that bring them satisfaction and pleasure, and stop those that bring them dissatisfaction and pain

Question 4

Reinforcement schedules
Continuous reinforcement–

Answer 4

reward follows each display of behavior

Question 5

Reinforcement

Answer 5

is the process by which stimuli strengthen behaviours
A reinforcer is a stimulus that follows some behaviour and increases or maintains the probability of that behaviour

Question 6

Partial reinforcement–

Answer 6

only some responses are rewarded

Question 7

Positive reinforcement

Answer 7

increase or maintains the probability of some behaviour by the application or addition of a stimulus to the situation in question
Food, money, praise

ex: analyst who learned to read through reports because reading them is positively reinforced by successful decision making

Question 8

Negative reinforcement

Answer 8

increase or maintain the probability of some behaviour by the removal of a stimulus from the situation in question

The removed or prevented stimuli is a negative reinforcer.

Negative reinforcers increase the probability of behaviour

Ex: managers who continually nag their employees unless the employees work hard are attempting to use negative reinforcement, car has an alarm when you do not have your seatbelt on

Question 9

Reinforcement Strategies

Answer 9

To obtain the fast acquisition of some response, continuous and immediate reinforcement should be used – the reinforcer should be applied every time the behaviour of interest occurs, and it should be applied without delay after each occurrence

Question 10

Confusing rewards with reinforcers -

Answer 10

organizations and individual managers frequently reward employees with things such as pay, promotion, fringe benefits, paid vacations, overtime, and the opportunity to perform challenging tasks
- not contingent on behaviour

Question 11

Neglecting diversity in preferences for reinforcers -

Answer 11

organizations often fail to appreciate individual differences in preferences for reinforcement
Ex: reinforce a workaholic’s extra effort with time off

Question 12

Neglecting important sources of reinforcement:
Performance feedback

Answer 12

which involves proving quantitative or qualitative information on past performance for the purpose of changing or maintaining performance in specific ways

Question 13

Social recognition

Answer 13

involves informal acknowledgement, attention, praise, approval, or genuine appreciation for work well fone from one individual or group to another

Question 14

Operant Learning Theory

Answer 14

is a study by which the subject learns to operate on the environment to achieve certain consequences

Question 15

how to give positive feedback

Answer 15

Most effective when: Conveyed in a positive manner
Delivered immediately after the performance is observed
Represented visually, such as in graph or chat forms
Specific to the behaviour that is being targeted for feedback

Question 16

Problems Using Punishment

Answer 16

• Punishment has some unique characteristics that often limit its effectiveness in eliminating unwanted behaviour.
• It does not demonstrate which behaviours should replace the punished response.
• Punishment indicates only what is not appropriate.
• Punishment only temporarily suppresses the unwanted behaviour.
• Punishment can provoke a strong emotional reaction from the punished individual.

Question 17

Reducing the Probability of bad behaviour

Answer 17

1. extinction
2. punishment

Question 18

Extincition

Answer 18

involves terminating the reinforcmeent that is mainitaing some unwanted behaviour, if the behaviour is not reinforced, it will gradually dissipate or be extinguished

Sales person stops calling an established customer after making 10 visits without a sale

Question 19

Punishment

Answer 19

involves following an unwanted behaviour with some unpleasant, aversive simulations
Temporarily suppresses unwanted response

Question 20

Make punishments effectvice

Answer 20

Aversive
Punish immediately
Do not reward unwanted behaviour before or after punishment
Do not inavertently punish desibrable behaviour

Question 21

Social Cognitive Theory

Answer 21

emphasizes the role of cognitive processes in learning and in the regulation of people’s behaviour
- people learn by observing
- manage behaviour by thinking about consquences

Question 22

Self-Efficacy Beliefs

Answer 22

are beliefs people have about their ability to successfully perform a specific task

Question 23

Performance mastery:

Answer 23

ones experiences and success performing the task

Question 24

Organizational Learning Practices

Answer 24

(1) Organizationla behaviour modification
(2) employee recognigiton programs
(3) training and development programs

Question 25

Organizational behaviour modification

Answer 25

involves the systematic use of learning principles to influence organizational behaviour

Question 26

Employee Recognition Programs

Answer 26

are formal organizational programs that publicly recognize and reward employees for specific behaviours

Question 27

Peer recognition programs

Answer 27

are formal programs in which employees can publicly acknowledge, recognize and reward their co-workers’ exceptional work and performance

Question 28

Training and development programs:

Answer 28

training is planned organizational activities that are designed to facilitate knowledge and skill acquisition to change behaviour and improve performance on one’s current job; development focuses on future job responsibilities.

Question 29

Effective Training

Answer 29

Describing to trainees a set of well-defined behaviours (skills) to be learned
Providing a model or models displaying the effective use of those behaviours
Providing opportunities for trainees to practice using those behaviours
Providing feedback and social reinforcement to trainees following practice
Taking steps to maximize the transfer of those behaviours to the job

Question 30

Behaviour modelling training (BMT)

Answer 30

is a training method in which trainees observe a model performing a task followed by opportunities to practice the observed behaviour – based on observational learning