The Foundations of Individual Behavior

Prepared by: GREGAR DONAVEN E. VALDEHUEZA, MBA Lourdes College Instructor

Objectives:
Identify two types of ability Define the key biographical characteristics Understand how to shape the behavior of others Distinguish between the four schedules of reinforcement Clarify the role of punishment in learning

ABILITY
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Refers to an individuals capacity to perform the various tasks in a job.

Types of ability
1. Intellectual abilities the capacity to do mental activities - thinking, reasoning, and problem solving. 2. Physical abilities the capacity to do tasks demanding stamina, dexterity, strength, and similar characteristics.

Dimensions of Intellectual Ability

Dimension Number aptitude Verbal comprehension Description Ability to do speedy and accurate arithmetic Job Example Accountant: computing the sales tax on a set of items Ability to understand what is read or Plant manager: following heard and the relationship of corporate policies on hiring words to each other Ability to identify visual similarities and differences quickly and accurately Ability to identify a logical sequence in a problem and then solve the problem Ability to use logic and assess the implications of an argument Ability to imagine how an object would look if its position is space were changed Fire investigator: identifying clues to support a charge of arson Market researcher: forecasting demand for a product in the next time period Supervisor: choosing between two different suggestions offered by employees Interior decorator: redecorating an office

Perceptual speed

Inductive reasoning

Deductive reasoning

Spatial visualization

Memory

Ability to retain and recall past experiences

Salesperson: remembering the names of customers

Nine Basic Physical Abilities

Strength Factors 1. Dynamic strength 2. Trunk strength Ability to exert muscular force repeatedly or continuously over time Ability to exert muscle strength using the trunk (particularly abdominal) muscles

3. Static strength
4. Explosive strength Flexibility Factors

Ability to exert force against external objects

Ability to expend a maximum of energy in one or a series of explosive acts

5. Extent flexibility
6. Dynamic flexibility

Ability to move the trunk and back muscles as far as possible

Ability to make rapid, repeated flexing movements

Other Factors 7. Body coordination

8. Balance 9. Stamina

Ability to coordinate the simultaneous actions of different parts of the body

Ability to maintain equilibrium despite forces pulling off balance Ability to continue maximum effort requiring prolonged effort over time

The ability-job fit

- jobs make differing demands on people and that people differ in their abilities - employee performance in enhanced when there is high ability-job fit

- poor ability-job fit, employees will likely to fail

BIOGRAPHICAL CHARACTERISTICS
- Personal characteristics that are objective and easily obtained from personnel records.

Age

effect of age on turnover: - older you get, less likely to quit reasons: - fewer job opportunities - higher benefits effect of age on absenteeism: - older employees, lower rates on unavoidable absence effect of age on productivity: - unrelated reason: - some decay due to age, offset by gains due to experience effect of age on satisfaction: - tends to increase among professionals - tends to decrease among nonprofessionals during middle age and rises in later years

 Gender - no consistent male-female differences in problemsolving ability, analytical skills, competitive drive, motivation, sociability, or learning ability - women are more willing to conform with authority - men are more aggressive and more likely to have expectations of success - women with pre-school children prefer part-time work, flexible work schedules, and telecommuting to accommodate family responsibilities - issue on absenteeism, no significant difference

 Race

- some scholars argue that it is not productive to discuss race for: 1. policy reason (divisive issue or can cause disagreement) 2. biological reason (large percentage are a mixture of races) 3. genetic & anthropological reason (anthropologists & evolutionary scientists reject concept of distinct racial categories) - Department of Education classifies individuals according to five racial categories: African American, Native American (American Indian/Alaskan Native), Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic, and White - racial differences in cognitive ability tests continues to be hotly debated.

 Tenure - most recent evidence demonstrates a positive relationship between seniority and job productivity. - tenure (work experience) appears to be a good predictor of employee productivity - in terms of both frequency of absence and total days lost at work, tenure is the single most important explanatory variable. - potent (strong) variable in explaining turnover - longer a person in a job, less likely to quit - past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior - tenure and job satisfaction are positively related - stable predictor of job satisfaction than chronological age

LEARNING
Any relatively permanent change in behavior that occurs as a result of experience
Almost all complex behavior is learned. Learning is a continuous, life-long process.

The principles of learning can be used to shape behavior

Theories of learning
Classical conditioning (Ivan Pavlov) a type of conditioning in which an individual
responds to some stimulus that would not ordinarily produce such a response. 4 key concepts: - unconditioned stimulus - unconditioned response - conditioned stimulus - conditioned response

 Operant Conditioning (B.F. Skinner)

- The theory that behavior is a function of its consequences and is learned through experience.

- Operant behavior: voluntary or learned behaviors

Behaviors are learned by making rewards contingent to behaviors.

Behavior that is rewarded (positively reinforced) is likely to be repeated.

Behavior that is punished or ignored is less likely to be repeated.

 Social learning - the view people can learn through observation and
direct experience. - Attributes of models that influence learning:
Attentional: the attractiveness or similarity of the model Retention: how well the model can be recalled

Motor reproduction: the reproducibility of the models actions

Reinforcement: the rewards associated with learning the model behavior

Shaping: A Managerial Tool

Shaping behavior systematically reinforcing each successive step that moves an individual closer to the desired response.

Methods of shaping behavior

Positive reinforcement: rewarding desired behaviors.

Negative reinforcement: removing an unpleasant consequence once the desired behavior is exhibited.

Punishment: penalizing an undesired behavior.

Extinction: eliminating a reinforcement for an undesired behavior.

Schedules of reinforcement
Schedules of Reinforcement
Reinforcement Schedule Continuous Nature of Reinforcement Reward given after each desired behavior Reward given at fixed time intervals Reward given at variable time intervals Reward given at fixed amounts of output Reward given at variable amounts of outputs Effect on Behavior Example

Fast learning of new behavior but rapid extinction

Compliments

Fixed-interval

Average and irregular Weekly paychecks performance with rapid extinction Moderately high and stable performance with slow extinction High and stable performance attained quickly but also with rapid extinction Very high performance with slow extinction Pop quizzes

Variable-interval

Fixed ratio

Piece-rate pay

Variable ratio

Commissioned sales

Organizational behavior modification (OB Mod)

- application of reinforcement concepts to individuals in the work setting.

Five steps in OB Mod:

1. identifying critical behaviors 2. developing baseline data 3. identifying behavioral consequences 4. developing & implementing an intervention strategy 5. evaluating performance improvement