Chapter 2

Foundations of Individual Behavior

Foundations of Individual Behavior

There are three foundations on which the behavior of an individual is built.1). Ability2). Biographical characteristics3). Learning leads to behavior

what management can do to shape the behaviors of organizational members.

Ability

Ability: An individual’s capacity to perform the various tasks in a job.An individuals abilities can be categorized into two sets:1. Intellectual Abilities: the capacity to do mental

activities-thinking, reasoning, and problem solving.2. Physical Abilities: the capacity to do tasks that

demand stamina, dexterity, strength, and similar characteristics.

Intellectual Abilities there are seven most cited abilities are:1. Number aptitude- speedy , accurate arithmetic.2. Verbal Comprehension- understand what is read or heard and

relationship of words.3. Perceptual speed- ability to identify visual similarities.4. Inductive reasoning-Identify logical sequence in a problem and solve

the problem.

5. Deductive reasoning- using logic and assess the implications of an argument

6. Spatial Visualization- How object would look if its position in space is changed

7. Memory- ability to retain and recall past experiences.

Physical Abilities (PA)There are three categories of PA:

STRENGTH FACTORS1). Dynamic Strength: Muscular force exerted repeatedly or continuously.2). Trunk Strength: Using abdominal muscles.3). Static Strength: exert force against external objects.4). Explosive Strength: expend a maximum energy in one or series of explosive acts.FLAXIBILITY FACTORS5). Extent Flexibility: To move trunk and back muscles as far as possible.6). Dynamic Flexibility: To make rapid and repeated flexing movementOTHER FACTORS:7). Body Coordination: Simultaneous actions of different parts of the body.8). Balance: Maintaining equilibrium despite forces pulling off balance.9). Stamina: Ability to continue maximum effort requiring prolonged effort over time.

Biographical CharacteristicsThe second foundation of human behavior are: age, gender, race,

and length of service with an organization.AGE: there are three groups on the basis of age.Young: new entrants in the workforceMiddle aged: the most important in the organization.Old aged: most experienced and with tremendous patience.Gender: Male and female working together gives rise to numerous problems.Glass Ceiling: women are not promoted to higher ranks.Sexual Harassment: starring, commenting, trying to abuse mentally or physically and creating such environment that challenges the safety and security of woman at workplace.

Biographical Characteristics (continues)

RACE: People coming from different ethnic groups. Favoritism, attitudes, and workplace decision are made on this base. OTHERS REASONS:Tenure- Seniority is also reason and predictor of performance and behavior to work.Religion- Difference in religion also effects the behavior towards the work and workplace.

Learning

The third foundation of human behavior Definition: A relatively permanent change in behavior that occurs as a results of experience.Following are three theories of learning:1). Classical Conditioning- a type of conditioning in which an individual responds to some stimulus that would not ordinarily produce such a response.2). Operant Condition- a type of conditioning in which desired voluntary behavior leads to a reward or prevents a punishment. (Behaviorism– a theory that argues that behavior follows stimuli in a relatively unthinking manner.

Learning (continues)

3).Social Learning: The view that people can learn through observation and direct experience: there are four processes found that influence on an individual. They are as follows:a). Intentional processes– people learn when they pay attention i.e. attractive, important to us, repeatedly available or similar to us in our estimation.b). Retention Processes– how well the individual remembers the model action.c).Motor reproduction processes– watching must be converted to doing. Individual can perform modeled activities