Chapter 2

Foundations of
Individual Behavior
ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR
S T E P H E N P. R O B B I N S
E L E V E N T H
2005 Prentice Hall Inc.
All rights reserved.

E D I T I O N

W W W . P R E N H AL L . C O M / R O B B I N S

PowerPoint Presentation
by Charlie Cook

Contents
1. Key biographical characteristics.
2. Two types of ability.
3. Shaping the behavior of others.
4. Differences between the four schedules of
reinforcement.
5. Role of punishment in learning.
6. Practice self-management

2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

22

Biographical
Biographical Characteristics
Characteristics
Biographical Characteristics
Personal characteristicssuch as age,
gender, and marital statusthat are
objective and easily obtained from
personnel records.

2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

23

Ability,
Ability,Intellect,
Intellect, and
and Intelligence
Intelligence
Ability
An individuals capacity to
perform the various tasks in a
job.
Intellectual Ability
The capacity to do mental
activities.
Multiple Intelligences
Intelligence contains four subparts:
cognitive, social, emotional, and
cultural.
2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

24

Dimensions
Dimensions of
of
Intellectual
Intellectual Ability
Ability
Number
Numberaptitude
aptitude
Verbal
Verbalcomprehension
comprehension
Perceptual
Perceptualspeed
speed
Inductive
Inductivereasoning
reasoning
Deductive
Deductivereasoning
reasoning
Spatial
Spatialvisualization
visualization
Memory
Memory
E X H I B I T 21
E X H I B I T 21
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25

Physical
Physical Abilities
Abilities
Physical Abilities
The capacity to do tasks
demanding stamina,
dexterity, strength, and
similar characteristics.

2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

26

Nine
Nine Physical
PhysicalAbilities
Abilities
Strength
StrengthFactors
Factors
1.1.Dynamic
Dynamicstrength
strength
2.2.Trunk
Trunkstrength
strength
3.3.Static
Staticstrength
strength
4.4.Explosive
Explosivestrength
strength

Other
OtherFactors
Factors
7.7.Body
Bodycoordination
coordination
8.8.Balance
Balance
9.9.Stamina
Stamina
2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

Flexibility
FlexibilityFactors
Factors
5.5.Extent
Extentflexibility
flexibility
6.6.Dynamic
Dynamicflexibility
flexibility

Source: Adapted from

HRMagazine published
by the Society for Human
Resource Management,
Alexandria, VA.

E X H I B I T 22
E X H I B I T 22
27

The
The Ability-Job
Ability-Job Fit
Fit

Employees
Abilities

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Ability-Job
Fit

Jobs Ability
Requirements

28

Learning
Learning
Learning
Any relatively permanent change in
behavior that occurs as a result of
experience.
Learning
Learning
Involves
Involveschange
change
Is
Isrelatively
relativelypermanent
permanent
Is
Isacquired
acquiredthrough
throughexperience
experience

2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

29

Theories
Theories of
of Learning
Learning
Classical Conditioning
A type of conditioning in which an individual
responds to some stimulus that would not
ordinarily produce such a response.
Key
KeyConcepts
Concepts
Unconditioned
Unconditionedstimulus
stimulus
Unconditioned
Unconditionedresponse
response
Conditioned
Conditionedstimulus
stimulus
Conditioned
Conditionedresponse
response
2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

210

Source: The Far Side

by Gary Larson 1993
Far Works, Inc. All rights
reserved. Used with
permission.

E X H I B I T 23
E X H I B I T 23
2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

211

Theories
Theories of
of Learning
Learning (contd)
(contd)
Operant Conditioning
A type of conditioning in which desired voluntary
behavior leads to a reward or prevents a
punishment.
Key
KeyConcepts
Concepts
Reflexive
Reflexive(unlearned)
(unlearned)behavior
behavior
Conditioned
Conditioned(learned)
(learned)behavior
behavior
Reinforcement
Reinforcement

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212

Theories
Theories of
of Learning
Learning (contd)
(contd)
Social-Learning Theory
People can learn through
observation and direct experience.
Key
KeyConcepts
Concepts
Attentional
Attentionalprocesses
processes
Retention
Retentionprocesses
processes
Motor
Motorreproduction
reproductionprocesses
processes
Reinforcement
Reinforcementprocesses
processes
2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

213

Theories
Theories of
of Learning
Learning (contd)
(contd)
Shaping Behavior
Systematically reinforcing each successive step
that moves an individual closer to the desired
response.
Key
KeyConcepts
Concepts
Reinforcement
Reinforcementis
isrequired
requiredto
tochange
changebehavior.
behavior.
Some
Somerewards
rewardsare
aremore
moreeffective
effectivethan
thanothers.
others.
The
Thetiming
timingof
ofreinforcement
reinforcementaffects
affectslearning
learning
speed
speedand
andpermanence.
permanence.

2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

214

Types
Types of
of Reinforcement
Reinforcement
Positive reinforcement
Providing a reward for a desired behavior.

Negative reinforcement
Removing an unpleasant consequence when the
desired behavior occurs.

Punishment
Applying an undesirable condition to eliminate
an undesirable behavior.

Extinction
Withholding reinforcement of a behavior to
cause its cessation.

2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

215

Schedules
Schedules of
of Reinforcement
Reinforcement
Continuous Reinforcement
A desired behavior is
reinforced each time it is
demonstrated.
Intermittent Reinforcement
A desired behavior is
reinforced often enough to
make the behavior worth
repeating but not every time
it is demonstrated.
2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

216

Schedules
Schedules of
of Reinforcement
Reinforcement (contd)
(contd)
Fixed-Interval Schedule
Rewards are spaced at
uniform time intervals.

Variable-Interval Schedule
Rewards are initiated
after a fixed or constant
number of responses.

2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

217

Schedules
Schedules of
of Reinforcement
Reinforcement (contd)
(contd)

Fixed-ratio

E X H I B I T 24
E X H I B I T 24
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218

Intermittent
Intermittent Schedules
Schedules of
of Reinforcement
Reinforcement

E X H I B I T 25
E X H I B I T 25
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219

Intermittent
Intermittent Schedules
Schedules of
of Reinforcement
Reinforcement (contd)
(contd)

E X H I B I T 25 (contd)
E X H I B I T 25 (contd)
2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

220

Behavior
Behavior Modification
Modification
OB Mod
The application of reinforcement
concepts to individuals in the work
setting.
Five
FiveStep
StepProblem-Solving
Problem-SolvingModel
Model
1.1. Identify
Identifycritical
criticalbehaviors
behaviors
2.2. Develop
Developbaseline
baselinedata
data
3.3. Identify
Identifybehavioral
behavioralconsequences
consequences
4.4. Develop
Developand
andapply
applyintervention
intervention
5.5. Evaluate
Evaluateperformance
performanceimprovement
improvement
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221

OB
OB MOD
MOD Organizational
Organizational Applications
Applications
Well Pay versus Sick Pay
Reduces absenteeism by rewarding attendance,
not absence.

Employee Discipline
The use of punishment can be counterproductive.

Developing Training Programs

OB MOD methods improve training
effectiveness.

Self-management
Reduces the need for external management
control.
2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

222