LEARNING

Definitions: Learning
“The relatively permanent change in a
person’s knowledge or behavior due to
experience”.
(Mayer, 1982)

“An enduring change in behavior, or in

the capacity to behave in a given fashion,
which results from practice or other
forms of experience”.
(Shuell, 1986)
 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
2–3
Theories of Learning
1.Classical Conditioning Theory
-Confined to observable and measurable
behavior

2.Operant Conditioning Theory-Confined

to observable and measurable behavior

3. Social Learning Theory

Classical Conditioning of
Learning
By Ivan Pavlov
A type of conditioning in which an
individual responds to some stimulus that
would not ordinarily produce such a
response.
Key
KeyConcepts
Concepts
••Unconditioned
Unconditionedstimulus
stimulus
••Unconditioned
Unconditionedresponse
response
••Conditioned
Conditionedstimulus
stimulus
••Conditioned
Conditionedresponse
response
 Classical Conditioning

 Classical Conditioning – 1900s by Ivan Pavlov

A stimulus is presented
in order to get a response:

S R
 Classical Conditioning
 Classical Conditioning - Pavlov

S US
UR

CS US

CR
 Operant Conditioning Theory of Learning

By Skinner
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
2–8
 Operant Conditioning

This theory argues that behavior is a

function of its consequences.

People learn to behave to get something

they want or to avoid something they don’t
want.

Operant behavior means voluntary or

learned behavior in contrast to reflexive or
unlearned behavior.
 Operant Conditioning
The tendency to repeat such behavior is
influenced by the reinforcement or lack of
reinforcement brought about by the
consequences of the behaviour.

Therefore, reinforcement strengthens a

behavior and increases the likelihood that
it will be repeated.
Creating pleasing consequences to follow
specific forms of behavior would increase
the frequency of that behavior.
 Operant Conditioning
Skinner demonstrated that people will
most likely engage in desired
behaviours if they are positively
reinforced for doing so; that rewards
are most effective if they immediately
follow the desired response.

The behavior that is not rewarded or is

punished, is less likely to be repeated.
Operant Conditioning
 Operant Conditioning - Skinner

The response is made first,

then reinforcement follows.
 Social Learning Theory (SLT)
A. Bandura (1973)

Learning takes place through

observation and direct experiences.

Individuals can learn by observing

what happens to other people and just
by being told about something as well
as through direct experiences.
 Social Learning Theory

People respond to how they perceive and

define consequences, not to the objective
consequences themselves.

The influence of models is central to the

social learning viewpoint.
 Social Learning Theory

Four processes have been found to determine the

influence that a model will have on an individual:

••Attentional
Attentionalprocesses
processes
••Retention
Retentionprocesses
processes
••Motor
Motorreproduction
reproductionprocesses
processes
••Reinforcement
Reinforcementprocesses
processes
 Attentional Processes

People tend to learn from a model only

when they recognize and pay attention to its
critical features. E.g. models that are
attractive, repeatedly available, important to
us or similar to us in our estimation.

Retention Processes
A model’s influence depends on how well the
individual remembers the model’s action after
the model is no longer readily available.
 Motor Reproduction Processes

After a person has seen a new behavior

by observing the model, the watching
must be converted to doing.
This process then demonstrate that the
individual can perform the modeled
activities.
Reinforcement Processes
Individuals are motivated to exhibit the
modeled behavior if positive incentives or
rewards are provided.
 Theories of Learning (cont’d)
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
rewardsare
aremore
moreeffective
effectivethan
thanothers.
others.
••The
Thetiming
timingof
ofreinforcement
reinforcementaffects
affectslearning
learning
speed
speedand
andpermanence.
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.
 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.
THANK YOU