Week 11: Learning, Reinforcement and Self-Management Flashcards
1
Q
Learning and Modifying Work Behaviour
Behaviourists
Learning
A
- Behaviourists: study observable behaviours and consequences of behaviour and reject subjective human psychological states as topics for study
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Learning is a relatively permanent change in behaviour as a result of experience
- Learning occurs in different ways
- Managers who understand learning are well positioned to influence the willingness of their employees
2
Q
Learning Approaches: Classical Conditioning
A
- Classical conditioning: a form of learning through association that involves the manipulation of stimuli to influence behaviour
- Stimulus: something that incites action
- Learning through association
- Manipulation of stimulus to influence behaviour
- Associates a neutral stimulus with another stimulus that affects behaviour
- The former thus becomes conditioned stimulus which now draws forth the conditioned response
3
Q
Learning Approaches: Operant Conditioning
A
- The process of controlling behaviour through manipulating its consequences
- Learning through reinforcement: behaviour and consequence
- A-B-C contingencies
- Antecedents -> Behaviour -> Consequences
4
Q
Differences between Classical and Operant Conditioning
A
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Classical conditioning
- learnng occurs through conditioned stimuli
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Operant conditiong
- learning occurs through consequences of behaviour
5
Q
Learning Approaches: Cognitive Learning
A
- Cognitive Learning: is learning achieved via reflection on the perceived relationship between events and individual goals and expectations
- Process motivation theories (chapter 3):
- explain how and why people decide to do things
6
Q
Learning Approaches: Social Learning
A
- Learning through reciprocal interaction between people, behaviour, and environment
- Integrates operant and cognitive learning
- Behaviour learned through observation and imitating
- Proposed by Albert Bandura
7
Q
Self-efficacy and Social Learning
How to apply social learning
A
- Motivation to learn is related to self-efficacy
- People with low self-efficacy require greater support and direction
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To apply social learning, managers should:
- Identify appropriate job behaviours
- Help employees select appropriate behavioural model
- Structure situation to enhance learning
- Provide appropriate rewards for behaviour
- Maintain new learning
8
Q
People with high self-efficacy believe:
A
- They have the necessary ability for a given job
- They are capable of the effort required
- They are motivated to perform the required behaviour
- No outside events will hinder them from obtaining their desired performance level
9
Q
Reinforcement as a strategy to modify work behaviour
Law of effect
Extrinsic rewards
Organsiational behaviour modification
A
- Foundation for reinforcement is the law of effect: behaviour that results in a pleasant outcome is likely to be repeated while behaviour that results in an unpleasant outcome is not likely to be repeated
- Extrinsic rewards: positively value work outcomes the individual receives from some other person in the work setting
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Organisational Behaviour Modification (OBM): is the systematic reinforcement of desirable work behaviour and the non-reinforcement or punishment of unwanted work behaviour
- Includes four basic reinforcement strategies:
- Positive reinforcement
- Negative reinforcement (or avoidance)
- Punishment
- Extinction
- Includes four basic reinforcement strategies:
10
Q
Positive Reinforcement
A
- Positive reinforcement: Increases the likelihood of repeating desired behaviour in similar settings by administering positive consequences
- Maximising positive reinforcement
- Law of contingent reinforcement: the view that for a reward to have maximum reinforcing value, it must be delivered only if the desired behaviour is exhibited
- Law of immediate reinforcement: states the more immediate the delivery of a reward after the occurrence of a desirable behaviour, the greater the reinforcing effect on behaviour
- Shaping: is the creation of a new behaviour by the positive reinforcement of successive approximations to the desired behaviour
- Successive approximation: is when someone acts in a way that gets closer and closer to the desired behaviour in order to receive a reward
11
Q
Scheduling of Positive Reinforcement
A
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Continuous reinforcement: is a reinforcement schedule that administers a reward each time a desired behaviour occurs
- Draws forth a desired behaviour more quickly than does intermittent reinforcement, but continuous reinforcement is more costly in the consumption of rewards and more easily extinguished when reinforcement is no longer present
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Intermittent reinforcement: is a reinforcement schedule that rewards behaviour only periodically
- This behaviour lasts longer when reinforcement is discontinued than does behaviour acquired under continuous reinforcement (more resistant to extinction)
12
Q
Guidelines for Allocating Extrinsic Rewards
Contrived rewards
Natural rewards
A
- Clearly identify desired behaviour
- Maintain inventory of positive rewards
- Recognise individual perceptions of value
- Clearly define criteria for reward
- Allocate contingently and immediately
- Schedule allocation appropriately
Contrived rewards: are direct costs such as bonuses, promotions or trips
Natural rewards: have no direct costs such as smiles, recognition or feedback
13
Q
Negative Reinforcement
A
- Negative reinforcement: The withdrawal of negative consequences, which increases the likelihood of the behaviour being repeated
- Also called ‘avoidance’
- Seeks to encourage desirable behaviour
14
Q
Punishment
Guidelines for using punishment
A
- Punishment is the administration of negative consequences (or withdrawal of positive consequences), which tends to discourage undesired behaviour
- Major reservations about using punishment as motivational tool as it can lead to low satisfaction as well as low performance
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Guidelines for using Punishment
- Identify undesirable behaviour
- Identify desirable behaviour
- Punish in private
- Follow laws of contingent and immediate reinforcement
- Ensure punishment matches behaviour
15
Q
Extinction
A
- Withdrawal of reinforcing consequences for a given behaviour
- i.e., ignoring the behaviour and not providing the response the person wants decreases the frequency of, or weakens, the behaviour
- Positive reinforcement seeks to establish and maintain desirable work behaviour, extinction is to weaken and eliminate undesirable behaviour
19
Q
Motivational implications of pay
Maslow’s Heirarchy of needs
McClelland’s theory of needs
Herzberg’s two factor theory
A
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Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
- Pay is a unique reward that can satisfy many different needs
- It is used directly to satisfy lower-order needs (need for food and shelter) and is of symbolic of importance in satisfying higher-order needs (ego fulfillment)
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McClelland’s theory of needs
- Pay is a important source of performance feedback for high-need achievers
- Can be attractive for those with a high need for affiliation when offered as a group bonus and is valued by the high need-for-power person as a means of ‘buying’ prestige or control over others
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Herzberg’s two factor theory
- Pay in the form of base wage or salary can prevent the dissatisfaction but cannot lead to motivation (although, merit pay rises given as special rewards for jobs done well can cause increased satisfaction and motivation)
- See pic for
- Equity theory
- Expectancy theory
- Reinforcement theory
20
Q
Merit Pay
A
- Merit pay is a compensation system that bases an individual’s salary or wage increase on a measure of that person’s performance accomplishments during a specified time period (i.e., pay is contingent on performance)
21
Q
Creative Pay Practices
A
