LEARNING

• A relatively permanent change in behavior resulting from experience

• Learning and performance -- Performance is an indirect measure of learning but is influenced by other factors such as motivation and fatigue

LEARNING IN ORGANIZATIONS

• Formal learning– skill training– orientation– rules and regulations

• Informal learning– norms– attitudes– shortcuts in doing your job

CLASSICAL CONDITIONING

unconditionedstimulus

unconditionedresponse

conditionedstimulus

conditionedresponse

Time 1Time 2

reflexlearned

SOME BASICS

• Extinction -- eliminating the response

• Generalization -- extending the response to similar stimuli

• Discrimination -- limiting the response to a specific stimulus

• Higher order conditioning -- extending the response to remote conditioned stimuli

OPERANT CONDITIONING

ANTECED-ENT

BEHAVIOR CONSE-QUENCE

A cue aboutconsequences

ex. advice

Desiredorganizationalbehavior

Positivereinforcement ex. attentionNegative reinforcementex. anxiety

ex. promptness

QUALITIES OF REINFORCEMENT

• Immediate Vs. delayed

• Contrived Vs natural

• Large Vs small

• Relative size

REINFORCEMENT SCHEDULES

• Interval schedules -- time based– fixed interval: ex. salary– variable interval: ex. spot inspections

• Ratio schedules -- performance based– fixed ratio: ex. piece rate– variable ratio: ex. gambling on slot machines

SHAPING

• Reinforcement of successive approximations of desired behavior

• ex. shaping neatness by rewarding behaviors which gradually move towards keeping a workplace neat

BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS

• Summing up: From a look at formal and informal learning to classical conditioning to operant conditioning of desired responses. Focus on qualities of reinforcement

• Next time: Continuation of operant conditioning and examination of observational learning