LEARNING THEORY METHODS OF SHAPING BEHAVIOUR

OB MOD

Prepared by: Bishesh K Sah Roll No: 13

Social Learning Theory

"Learning would be exceedingly laborious, not to mention hazardous, if people had to rely solely on the effects of their own actions to inform them what to do. Fortunately, most human behavior is learned observationally through modeling: from observing others one forms an idea of how new behaviors are performed, and on later occasions this

coded information serves as a guide for action."

-Albert Bandura, Social Learning Theory, 1977

Three Core Concepts of the theory

1) People can learn through Observation:

Through Bobo Doll Experiment he demonstrated that children learn and imitate behaviour what they have observed in others. He identified three models of Observational learning: a) Live model b) Verbal instruction model c) Symbolic model

Continued
2) Mental states are important to learning: Not only external, environmental reinforcement but the intrinsic reinforcement as a form of internal reward, such as pride, satisfaction, and a sense of accomplishment is also crucial factor to influence learning and behavior. He describes his approach as Social Cognitive theory

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3) Learning does not necessarily lead to a change in behaviour: While behaviourists believed that learning led to a permanent change in behaviour, observational learning demonstrates that people can learn new information without demonstrating new behaviours.

Process of Social Learning (Modelling)

Attention process
Retention process Reproduction process Motivation process

Relevance of Social learning theory

How to behave in particular environment is learned.
Enhances self-efficacy of learner. Increases self-efficiency. Enables employees to shape behaviour.

Cognitive theory
Learning is a cognitive process. Cognitive process assumes that people are conscious,

active participants in how they learn.

Stimulus leads to another stimulus rather than stimulus-

response classical behaviour and forms a cognitive structure in memory, preserves and organizes the information.
Behaviour is goal-oriented.

Approach in Cognitive theory

1) First, Use of previous experiences. 2) Second, Recognizes alternatives to make choice.

3) Then contemplates about the consequences of alternatives.

4) Finally, evaluates the consequences, adds them to the prior learning.

Methods of shaping behaviour

Reinforcement
Punishment Extinction

Reinforcement
Anything that increases the strength of response and

tends to induce the repetitions of the behaviour that preceeds the reinforcement.
Following a response with something pleasant is called

positive reinforcement.
Following a response by the termination or withdrawal of

something unpleasant is negative reinforcement.

Punishment
Presenting an averse consequence contingent upon a

response.
Method for reducing the frequency of undesired

behaviour.
Punishment is effective at the time when the undesirable

behaviour is actually performed than at a later time.

Extinction
Eliminating any reinforcement that is maintaining a

behaviour is called extinction.

It is the method for reducing a particular behaviour which

was once reinforced but now it is not required.

It takes time to be effective.

OB Modification
A sophisticated tool for improving the organizational

effectiveness
According to Robbins, OB Mod is a programme where

managers identify performance-related employee behaviours and then implement an intervention strategy to strengthen desirable behaviours and weaken undesirable behaviours.
Reinforcement is the major strategy for OB Mod.

Steps in OB Mod
1) Identification of Critical behaviours 2) Measurement of behaviours 3) Functional analysis of behaviours 4) Intervention

5) Systematic evaluation

Applications
Well pay Versus Sick pay Employee discipline Developing Training programmes Self-Management

Thank you