Chapter 2: Personality and Learning

Question 1

Personality:

Answer 1

Stable set of psychological characteristics that influences the way an individual interacts with their environment, how they feel, think and behave. Determined by genetics and learning history

Question 2

Disposition Approach:

Answer 2

An individual’s character and personality influence behavior

Question 3

Situational Approach:

Answer 3

Factors in the workplace predict behavior and influence behavior

Question 4

Internationalist Approach:

Answer 4

Both, understand behavior through personality and setting

Question 5

Five-Factor Personality Model:

Answer 5

1. Extraversion
2. Emotional Stability
3. Agreeableness
4. Conscientiousness
5. Openness to Experience

Question 6

Extraversion:

Answer 6

Extent to which a person is outgoing, sociable, energetic

Question 7

Emotional Stability

Answer 7

Degree to which a person has emotional control. People with high emotional stability are self-confident with high self-esteem

Question 8

Agreeableness

Answer 8

Extent to which a person is friendly, approachable, sympathetic, cooperative

Question 9

Conscientiousness

Answer 9

Degree to which a person is responsible, success orientated, motivated, hard working

Question 10

Openness to Experience

Answer 10

Extent to which a person thinks flexibly and is receptive to new ideas (creative)

Question 11

Locus of Control:

Answer 11

Person’s belief about the location of the factors that control behavior

Question 12

Internal Locus of Control:

Answer 12

opportunity to control their own behavior resides in themselves

Question 13

External Locus of Control:

Answer 13

luck, fate or other people determine their behavior

Question 14

Self-Monitoring:

Answer 14

extent to which people regulate how they appear in social situations. High self-monitors are like actors and are flexible and adaptive

Question 15

Self-Esteem:

Answer 15

degree to which a person has a positive self-evaluation

Question 16

Behavioral Plasticity Theory:

Answer 16

events and social influences have more impact on people with low self-esteem because they are unsure of their own views so they look to others for confirmation

Question 17

Positive/Negative Affectivity:

Answer 17

Emotions, moods, view on the world and others

Question 18

Proactive Behavior:

Answer 18

talking initiative to improve or create new circumstances

Question 19

Proactive Personality:

Answer 19

stable characteristics that reflect a tendency to initiate activities and change one’s environment

Question 20

General Self Efficiency (GSE):

Answer 20

A general trait that refers to an individual’s belief on their ability to perform successfully in challenging situations. Motivational trait that develops over a lifetime

Question 21

Core Self Evaluation:

Answer 21

Broad personality concept that reflects the evaluations people make about themselves and their self-worth

Question 22

Learning:

Answer 22

Occurs when practice or experience leads to permanent change in behavior

Question 23

Practical Skills:

Answer 23

job-specific skills, knowledge

Question 24

Intrapersonal Skills:

Answer 24

problem solving, alternative processes, risk taking

Question 25

Cultural Awareness:

Answer 25

learning the social norms and understanding organizations goal

Question 26

How People Learn:

Answer 26

Operant Learning, Reinforcement, Positive reinforcement, Negative reinforcement

Question 27

Operant Learning:

Answer 27

subjects learn to operate to achieve certain consequences. Ex. Skinner put a level in a rat cage that dispensed food

Question 28

Reinforcement:

Answer 28

process by which stimuli strengthens behavior. Continuous, immediate, should be used every time the wanted behavior occurs

Question 29

Positive Reinforcement:

Answer 29

Increased or maintain the probability of a behavior by the addition of a stimulus to the situation.

Question 30

Negative Reinforcement:

Answer 30

Increase or maintains the probability of a behavior with the removal of a stimulus from the situation. Ex. making smokers pay $600 as a charge at work

Question 31

Organizational Errors

Answer 31

1. Confusing Rewards with Reinforcers: Can fail if the reward is not contingent with the specific behavior
2. Neglecting Diversity in Preference for Reinforcers: Fail to appreciate individual differences. Ex. reinforcing a workaholic’s extra effort instead of rewarding different individuals
3. Neglecting Important Sources of Reinforcement: Performance Feedback: providing information on past performance with the purpose of changing or maintaining performance. Should be positive, immediately, presented visually

Question 32

Social Recognition:

Answer 32

informal acknowledgement, attention or approval

Question 33

Extinction:

Answer 33

terminating reinforcement that is maintaining unwanted behavior
Ex. making coworkers stop laughing at someone’s jokes to make him stop telling them

Question 34

Punishment:

Answer 34

following unwanted behavior with an unpleasant stimulus

Question 35

Using Punishment Effectively:

Answer 35

Must provide and acceptable alternative for the punished behavior. Can provoke an emotional response from the person. Make Punishment is Bad. Punish Immediately. Don’t Reward Unwanted Behavior. Don’t Inadvertently Punish Desirable Behavior.

Question 36

Observational Learning:

Answer 36

process of observing and imitating the behavior of others

Question 37

Self-Efficacy:

Answer 37

Beliefs people have about their ability to successfully perform a task. Task specific mental evaluation (not generalized)

Question 38

Self-Regulation:

Answer 38

Using learning to manage one’s own behavior

Question 39

Discrepancy Production:

Answer 39

When people attain their goals they are likely to set higher goals

1. Observe one’s own behavior
2. Compare to others behaviors
3. Set Goals to meet
4. Execute the plans
5. Reward with accomplishment

Question 40

Organizational Behavior Modification:

Answer 40

use of learning principals to influence OB

Question 41

Employee Recognition Programs:

Answer 41

formal programs that publically recognize and reward employees for specific behaviors. To be effective they must specify how a person will be recognized, for what behavior, the way they are going to be acknowledged and given a token for the behavior

Question 42

Training:

Answer 42

planned activities that are designed to simplify knowledge and skill acquisition to change behavior and improve performance

Question 43

Career Development:

Answer 43

ongoing process where individuals progress through a series of stages consisting of issues, themes and tasks. Assessment of interests and skills.