Learning

Learning
Learning
Any relatively permanent change in behavior
that occurs as a result of experience.

Learning
Learning
••Involves
Involveschange
change
••IsIsrelatively
relativelypermanent
permanent
••IsIsacquired
acquiredthrough
throughexperience
experience
 Learning in Organizations

• What?
– Learning takes place as a result of practice
or through experience
– With learning comes change

– Change must be relatively permanent

 Learning
• Types
– Operant Conditioning
– Behavior Modification
– Social Learning
– Learning on your own
– Learning by doing
– Continuous learning through creativity
– The learning organization
 Learning
• Operant Conditioning: Behavior is a function of
its consequence
– Reinforcement
• Encourage desired behavior
• Discourage undesired behavior
 Learning
• Reinforcement
– Encourage desired behavior
• Positive
• Negative
– Discourage undesired behavior
• Punishment
• Extinction
 Theories of Learning
Operant Conditioning
A type of conditioning in which desired voluntary
behavior leads to a reward or prevents a punishment.

Key
KeyConcepts
Concepts
••Reflexive
Reflexive(unlearned)
(unlearned)behavior
behavior
••Conditioned
Conditioned(learned)
(learned)behavior
behavior
••Reinforcement
Reinforcement
Operant Conditioning

Insert Figure 5.1 here

Learning Desired Behaviors

Positive Negative
Reinforcement Reinforcement
 Theories of Learning
Shaping Behavior
Systematically reinforcing each successive step that
moves an individual closer to the desired response.

Key
KeyConcepts
Concepts
••Reinforcement
Reinforcementisisrequired
requiredto
tochange
changebehavior.
behavior.
••Some
Somerewards
rewardsarearemore
moreeffective
effectivethan
thanothers.
others.
••The
Thetiming
timingofofreinforcement
reinforcementaffects
affectslearning
learningspeed
speedand
and
permanence.
permanence.
 Types of Reinforcement
• Positive reinforcement
– Providing a reward for a desired behavior.
• Negative reinforcement
– Removing an unpleasant consequence when the desired
behavior occurs.
• Punishment
– Applying an undesirable condition to eliminate an undesirable
behavior.
• Extinction
– Withholding reinforcement of a behavior to cause its cessation.
 Schedules of Reinforcement
Continuous Reinforcement
A desired behavior is reinforced
each time it is demonstrated.

Intermittent Reinforcement
A desired behavior is reinforced
often enough to make the
behavior worth repeating but not
every time it is demonstrated.
Schedules of Reinforcement (cont’d)
Fixed-Interval Schedule
Rewards are spaced at
uniform time intervals.

Variable-Interval Schedule
Rewards are initiated after a
fixed or constant number of
responses.
 Schedules of Reinforcement (cont’d)

Fixed-ratio
 Positive Reinforcement
• Potential positive reinforcers
– Pay
– Bonuses
– Promotions
– Job titles
– Verbal praise
– Awards
 Negative Reinforcement

• Increases the probability that a desired

behavior will occur by removing a negative
consequence when an employee performs the
behavior
 Reinforcement Schedules

• Schedules: Intermittent or continuous

– Fixed- Ratio (Quantity) or Interval (Time
period)

– Variable- Ratio or Interval

 Learning Complicated Behaviors
• Shaping
– Reinforcement of successive and closer
approximations to a desired behavior
– Gradual acquisition of skills
Discouraging Undesired Behaviors

Extinction Punishment
 Negative Reinforcement vs. Punishment

• Punishment involves administering a negative

consequence when an undesired behavior occurs

• Negative reinforcement entails removing a

negative consequence when a desired behavior
occurs
 Negative Reinforcement vs. Punishment

• Punishment reduces the probability of an

undesired behavior

• Negative reinforcement increases the probability

of a desired behavior
 Behavior Modification
OB Mod
The application of reinforcement concepts
to individuals in the work setting.

Five
FiveStep
StepProblem-Solving
Problem-SolvingModel
Model
1.1. Identify
Identifycritical
criticalbehaviors
behaviors
2.2. Develop
Developbaseline
baselinedata
data
3.3. Identify
Identifybehavioral
behavioralconsequences
consequences
4.4. Develop
Developand
andapply
applyintervention
intervention
5.5. Evaluate
Evaluateperformance
performanceimprovement
improvement
OB MOD Organizational Applications
• Well Pay versus Sick Pay
– Reduces absenteeism by rewarding attendance, not
absence.
• Employee Discipline
– The use of punishment can be counter-productive.
• Developing Training Programs
– OB MOD methods improve training effectiveness.
• Self-management
– Reduces the need for external management control.
 Organizational Behavior Modification
• The systematic application of the principles of
operant conditioning for teaching and
managing organizational behaviors
Steps in OB Mod
Identify important
Identify important organizational
organizational behavior
behavior

Measure the
Measure the frequency
frequency of
of the
the behavior
behavior

Analyze antecedents
Analyze antecedents and
and consequences
consequences

Intervene
Intervene

Evaluate for
Evaluate for performance
performance improvement
improvement

Problem solved?
Problem solved?

Yes
Yes
No
No Maintain
Maintain
 Social Cognitive Theory

Information Vicarious
Learning

Control Behavior
Learner

Self-Efficacy
 Vicarious Learning

• Learner learns a behavior by watching the

model perform the behavior
• Examples
– Role playing
– Demonstrations
– Training films
– Shadowing
Conditions Required for Vicarious Learning

• Learner observes the model when the

model is performing the behavior

• Learner accurately perceives model’s

behavior

• Learner must remember the behavior

Conditions Required for Vicarious Learning

• Learner must have the skills and abilities

to perform the behavior

• Learner must see that the model receives

reinforcement for the behavior in
question
 Social Cognitive Theory

Information Vicarious
Learning

Control Behavior
Learner

Self-Efficacy
 Conditions Indicating Use of
Self-Control

• Low-probability behavior
• Available self-reinforcers
• Goals determine self-reinforcement schedule
• Reinforcement occurs upon goal achievement
 Self-Efficacy
• What?
– Belief about ability to perform a behavior
successfully
• Self-esteem?

• Affects learning via

– Activities and goals
– Effort
– Persistence
 Sources of Self-Efficacy

• Past performance
• Vicarious experience
• Verbal persuasion
• Individuals’ readings of their internal
physiological states
 Learning By Doing
• Experiential Learning

• Direct involvement in subject matter

– Hands-on training
 The Creative Process

Recognition
Production Selection Implementation
of a
Information of of of
problem
gathering creative creative creative
or
ideas ideas ideas
opportunity
Determinants of Creativity
The Learning Organization

Organizational
Learning

Knowledge
Management
 Central Activities in a
Learning Organization
• Personal mastery or high self-efficacy

• Complex schemas to understand work

activities

• Learning in groups and teams

• Shared vision for organization
• Systematic thinking