4.1 Basic Models of Learning

Learning theories in organizations shape employee behavior and performance. Classical, operant, and social learning explain how workers acquire new skills and habits through association, consequences, and observation.

Reinforcement strategies like positive reinforcement and punishment influence employee actions. Factors like motivation, feedback, and practice distribution affect learning effectiveness. Understanding these principles helps managers create effective training programs and work environments.

Behavioral Learning Theories

Classical vs operant vs social learning

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• Classical conditioning involves learning through association where a neutral stimulus is paired with a stimulus that naturally elicits a response until the neutral stimulus elicits the response on its own (employee feels anxious when seeing their boss because the boss is associated with high-pressure meetings)
• Operant conditioning focuses on learning through consequences of behavior where behaviors followed by positive outcomes are reinforced and more likely to be repeated, while behaviors followed by negative outcomes are punished and less likely to be repeated (employee learns to submit reports on time to receive praise from supervisor)
  • Extinction occurs when a previously reinforced behavior is no longer reinforced, leading to a decrease in the behavior's frequency
• Social learning theory proposes that learning occurs through observation and imitation of others, especially influential figures, where employees learn by watching and modeling the behaviors, attitudes, and emotional reactions of others (new employee learns appropriate workplace conduct by observing the behavior of successful coworkers and supervisors)
  • This process is also known as observational learning

Reinforcement in employee performance

• Positive reinforcement involves presenting a desirable consequence following a behavior to increase its frequency (praise, bonuses, promotions)
• Negative reinforcement involves removing an undesirable consequence following a behavior to increase its frequency (reducing workload, eliminating unpleasant tasks)
• Punishment involves presenting an undesirable consequence following a behavior to decrease its frequency (reprimands, demotions, fines)
• Schedules of reinforcement:
  1. Continuous reinforcement: Reinforcing a behavior every time it occurs
  2. Partial reinforcement: Reinforcing a behavior only some of the time
     • Fixed ratio: Reinforcement after a set number of responses
     • Variable ratio: Reinforcement after an unpredictable number of responses
     • Fixed interval: Reinforcement after a set time interval
     • Variable interval: Reinforcement after an unpredictable time interval
• Shaping is a technique used to teach complex behaviors by reinforcing successive approximations of the desired behavior

Factors in organizational learning effectiveness

• Motivation enhances attention, effort, and persistence in learning
  • Intrinsic motivation: Engaging in a behavior for its inherent satisfaction
  • Extrinsic motivation: Engaging in a behavior to obtain an external reward or avoid punishment
• Feedback provides information about performance and guides future behavior
  • Immediate feedback is most effective for simple tasks
  • Delayed feedback may be more effective for complex tasks
  • Constructive feedback should be specific, timely, and actionable
• Practice distribution impacts long-term retention and transfer of learning
  • Massed practice: Practicing a skill continuously without breaks
  • Distributed practice: Practicing a skill with breaks between sessions is generally more effective
• Transfer of learning refers to applying learned skills to different situations
  • Near transfer: Applying learned skills to similar situations
  • Far transfer: Applying learned skills to different situations
  • Training design should facilitate transfer by providing diverse examples and opportunities for application
• Stimulus generalization occurs when a learned response to a specific stimulus is also elicited by similar stimuli

Learning Approaches

• Behaviorism focuses on observable behaviors and their consequences, emphasizing the role of the environment in shaping behavior
• Cognitive learning emphasizes internal mental processes, such as attention, memory, and problem-solving, in the acquisition of knowledge and skills