Chapter 2 - Personality & Learning - Individual Behaviour

Question 1

What is “Personality”?

Answer 1

Set of psychological characteristics that influence a persons feelings, thoughts and behaviour.

Question 2

What are the 3 approaches to Personality and Organizational Behaviour?

Answer 2

1- Dispositional Approach
2-Situational Approach
3- Interactions Approach

Question 3

What is Trait Activation Theory?

Answer 3

Traits lead to certain behaviours only when the situation makes the need for that trait.

Question 4

What are the Big Five Dimensions of Personality?

Answer 4

1- Openness to experience (flexible/creative)
2- Conscientioness (degree to which a person is responsible & organized)
3- Extraversion (Extent to which a person is outgoing vs. shy)
4- Agreeableness (extent to which a person is friendly vs approachable)
5- Neuroticism (self-confident, high self-esteem)

Question 5

What is Locus of Control?

Answer 5

A set of beliefs about whether ones behaviour is controlled by internal and external forces.

Question 6

What is self Monitoring?

Answer 6

The extent to which people observe and regulate how they appear and behave

Question 7

Describe someone who increases their self monitoring…

Answer 7

Watch what they say and take great care to observe.

Question 8

Describe someone who decreases their self monitoring…

Answer 8

Speaks before they think.

Question 9

What is Self Esteem?

Answer 9

The degree to which a person has a positive self evaluation.

Question 10

What is Learning?

Answer 10

When practice or experience leads to a relatively PERMANENT change in behavioural potentials.

Question 11

What do employees learn in organizations?

Answer 11

• Practice skills (task skills)
• Intrapersonal skills (problem solving)
• Interpersonal skills (interacting w. others)
• Cultural awareness (Social norms& roles)

Question 12

What is Skinners Operant Learning Theory?

Answer 12

Learning by doing.

• learning is a function of change in overt behavior. Changes in behavior are the result of an individual’s response to events (stimuli) that occur in the environment.

Question 13

What is a reinforcement in Skinners Operant Learning Theory?

Answer 13

Process by which stimuli strengthens behaviour.

behaviour –> Stimulus –> More Behaviour

Question 14

What is a POSITIVE reinforcement in Skinners Operant Learning Theory?

Answer 14

Application of a positive stimulus to increase behaviour.

eg. Reward with a gift to encourage.

Question 15

What is a NEGATIVE reinforcement in Skinners Operant Learning Theory?

Answer 15

Removal of stimulus that in turn increases or maintains behaviour.

eg. nag the person, take tv away.

Question 16

Errors involving Reinforcement…

Answer 16

1- Confusing rewards with reinforcers
2- Neglecting diversity in preferences for reinforcers
3- Neglecting important sources of reinforcement

Question 17

Reinforcement Strategies…

Answer 17

1- Continuous & short reinforcement facilitatees (Fast Learning)
2- Long and partial reinforcement faciliates (Persistent Learning)

Question 18

What to know about punishment?

Answer 18

• Punishment is only temporary.
• Avoid punishing infront of others
• Punish immediately
• Dont give confusing signals
• make sure you’re emotionaly stable

Question 19

What is Bandura’s Social Congnitive Theory?

Answer 19

Emphasizes the role of the cognitive processes in learning peoples own behaviour.

Question 20

What is the most effective positive stimuli?

Answer 20

Performance feedback

Question 21

What are the two Frequency of Reinforcement

Answer 21

1- Continuous (fast acquistion)

2- Partial (Persistence - waiting to get reinforcement).