Week 1 - OB & Learning

Question 1

Psychological Capital (PSYCAP)

Answer 1

An individual’s positive psychological state of development that is characterized by
- Self Efficacy
- Optimism
- Hope
- Resilience
An important contributor to employee success and well being is psychological
capital

Question 2

Self Efficacy

Answer 2

confidence to take on and put in the necessary effort to succeed at challenging tasks.

Question 3

Optimism

Answer 3

Internal attributions about positive events in the present and future
External attributions about negative events.

Question 4

Hope

Answer 4

Persevering toward one’s goals, and when necessary making changes and
using multiple pathways to achieve one’s goals.

Question 5

Resiliance

Answer 5

One’s ability to bounce back or rebound from adversity and setbacks to attain success.

Question 6

What are organizations?

Answer 6

Organizations are social inventions for accomplishing common goals through group effort.

Question 7

What are key characteristics of Organizations?

Answer 7

Social inventions
Goal accomplishment
Group effort

Question 8

What are the three main goals of organizational behavior

Answer 8

Predicting
Explaining
Managing

Question 9

Why is Organizational Behavior Important?

Answer 9

• Important for organizational effectiveness
• Contemporary management is based on understanding and adapting contingencies (not one size fits all)
• OB and good management is based on evidence not “common sense”

Question 10

What is managment?

Answer 10

Management is the art of getting things accomplished in organizations through others.

Question 11

How does prediction and explanation relate to management?

Answer 11

• If behavior can be predicted and explained, it can often be managed.
• Effective management involves evidence-based management

Question 12

How is management different from the other main goals of OB

Answer 12

Prediction and explanation involves analysis while management is about action

Question 13

What is learning?

Answer 13

Any process through which practice or experience at one time can alter an individual’s behavior at another time.

Question 14

What are the three types of learning?

Answer 14

Classical conditioning
Operant learning
Observational learning

Question 15

Classical conditioning

Answer 15

1. Before conditioning: unconditioned stimulus & response
2. Before Conditioning: neutral stimulus, no response
3. During Conditioning: combined stimulus, unconditioned response
4. After Conditioning:
   Conditioned stimulus & response

Question 16

Operant learning

Answer 16

Learning in which the subject learns to operate on the environment to achieve certain consequences

connection between consequence and CONSCIOUS behavior (press a switch)

Classical involves no action (hear a bell)

Question 17

What is +’ve reinforcement?

Answer 17

The addition of a stimulus that increases the probability of a desired response.

Reward stimulus is conditional on action

Question 18

What is -‘ve reinforcement?

Answer 18

The removal of a stimulus that increases the probability of an undesirable response.

Removed stimulus was a negative reinforcer

Question 19

Name 4 organizational errors involving reinforcement

Answer 19

• Rewards not made contingent on specific desired responses
• Failing to appreciated individual differences/preferences for reinforcers
• Neglecting important sources of reinforcement such as those administered by co-workers or intrinsic to the job.
• Ignoring performance feedback and social recognition as important reinforcers

Question 20

What are the two main strategies for stopping unwanted behavior?

Answer 20

Extinction - remove/take away reinforcer

Punishment - apply negative stimulus

Question 21

What are problems with using punishment?

Answer 21

• Does not demonstrate the correct behavior/Only indicates what’s wrong
• It is a temporary suppression
• Can provoke strong emotional responses from the punished individual

Question 22

Give an example of positive reinforcement

Answer 22

An apprentice machinist learns to operate a lathe correctly as the master machinist praises his performance overt time

Question 23

Give an example of negative stimulus removal

Answer 23

A shipping clerk whose boss is a chronic nagger learns that she has filled an order properly when the boss stops nagging

Question 24

Give an example of Negative stimulus added

Answer 24

An engineer stops providing suggestions for ways to cut costs because her boss always criticizes the suggestions harshly

Question 25

Give an example of Extinction

Answer 25

A salesperson stops calling on established customers after making ten visits without a sale

Question 26

What is the 5 step process of Reinforcement and Observation to Learning

Answer 26

1. Attentional Processes
2. Retention Processes
3. Production processes
4. Reinforcement

Question 27

Attentional Processes

Answer 27

Learner focuses attention on the critical behaviors exhibited by the model

Question 28

Retention Processes

Answer 28

Learner must remember the behaviors of the model once the model is no longer present

Question 29

Production Processes

Answer 29

Learner must have the appropriate skill set and be able to reproduce the behavior

Question 30

Reinforcement

Answer 30

Learner must view the model receiving reinforcement for the behavior and then receive it themselves

Question 31

How does self efficacy affect learning?

Answer 31

Your effort and persistence along with choice to participate lead to learning

Question 32

Name some activities that involve self-regulation

Answer 32

Collect self observed data
Observe models
Set goals
Rehearse
Reinforce oneself
Compare to goals

Question 33

Name organizational learning practices

Answer 33

Organizational behaviour modification (O.B. Mod.)
Employee recognition programs
Training programs
Career development