Organizational Behavior
12th Edition
by
Stephen Robbins
Reference Book:
Organizational Behavior
by- Fred Luthans
PowerPoint by
Prof. Jahanzaib Yousaf
Foundations of Individual Behavior
Chapter# 2
Chapter # 2
Chapter Outline
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Contrast the two types of Ability.
Define intellectual ability and demonstrate its
relevance to OB.
Identify the key biographical characteristics
and describe how they are relevant to OB.
Define learning and outline the principles of
the three major theories of learning.
Define Shaping Behavior, and how it can be
used in OB.
Prof. Jahanzaib Yousaf, PCIT
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Individual Behavior Variables
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Ability
Biographical characteristics
Learning
Personality
Emotions
Values
Attitudes
Perception
Motivation
Individual decision making
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Ability
“An individual’s capacity to perform
the various tasks in a job”
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An assessment of What a person can do.
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Ability
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Made up of two sets of factors:
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Intellectual Abilities
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The abilities needed to perform mental activities.
Thinking, Reasoning and Problem Solving.
General Mental Ability (GMA) is a measure of overall
intelligence.
Physical Abilities
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The capacity to do tasks demanding stamina,
strength, and physical exertion.
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Dimensions of Intellectual Ability
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Biographical Characteristics
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Objective and easily obtained personal
characteristics. Such as,
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Age
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Gender
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Natural orientation among people with similar races.
Tenure
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Few differences between men and women that affect job
performance.
Race
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Older workers bring experience, judgment, a strong work
ethic, and commitment to quality.
People with job tenure (seniority at a job) are more
productive, absent less frequently, have lower turnover,
and are more satisfied.
Religion
Education
Prof. Jahanzaib Yousaf, PCIT
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Learning
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Any relatively permanent change in behavior that
occurs as a result of experience.
Learning components:
Involves
Change
Is
Relatively
Permanent
Prof. Jahanzaib Yousaf, PCIT
Is
Acquired
Through
Experience
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Theories of Learning
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Classical Conditioning
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Operant Conditioning
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A type of conditioning in which an individual
responds to some stimulus that would not
ordinarily produce such a response.
A type of conditioning in which desired
voluntary behavior leads to a reward or
prevents a punishment.
Social-Learning Theory
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People can learn through observation and
direct experience.
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Classical Conditioning
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Pavlov’s Dog Experiment.
Key Concepts:
 Unconditioned stimulus
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Unconditioned response
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The naturally occurring response to a natural stimulus.
Conditioned stimulus
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A naturally occurring phenomenon.
An artificial stimulus introduced into the situation.
Conditioned response
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The response to the artificial stimulus.
This is a passive form of learning. It is reflexive and not
voluntary – not the best theory for OB learning.
Prof. Jahanzaib Yousaf, PCIT
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Operant Conditioning
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Behavior is a function of it’s consequences.
Operant Behavior means Voluntary and Learned
behavior.
People learn to behave to get something they
want or to avoid something they don’t want.
Behavior is influenced through Reinforcement or
Punishment
Pleasing consequences increase likelihood of
repetition and Unrewarded/punished behavior is
unlikely to be repeated.
Prof. Jahanzaib Yousaf, PCIT
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Social-Learning Theory
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Based on the idea that people can also learn indirectly: by
observation, reading, or just hearing about someone
else’s experiences.
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Attentional processes
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Retention processes
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Model’s actions must be remembered to be learned.
Motor reproduction processes
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Must recognize and pay attention to critical features to
learn.
Watching the model’s behavior must be converted to doing.
Reinforcement processes
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Positive incentives motivate learners.
Prof. Jahanzaib Yousaf, PCIT
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Shaping behavior: A Managerial Tool
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Systematically reinforcing each successive step that moves
an individual closer to the desired response.
Four Methods of Shaping Behavior:
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Positive reinforcement
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Negative reinforcement
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Removing an unpleasant consequence when the desired behavior
occurs (learning)
Punishment
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Providing a reward for a desired behavior (learning)
Applying an undesirable condition to eliminate an undesirable
behavior (“unlearning”)
Extinction
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Eliminating any reinforcement of a behavior to stop it’s repetition.
(“unlearning”)
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Behavior Modification (OB Mod)
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The application of reinforcement concepts to
individuals in the work settings.
Steps of OB Mod program:
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• Identify critical behaviors
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• Develop baseline data
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• Identify behavioral consequences
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• Develop and apply intervention
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• Evaluate performance improvement
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Applying Behavior Modification
Well Pay Vs Sick Pay
 Employee Discipline
 Developing Training Programs
 Self- Management
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Exercise to Apply OB Mod
In groups of Four, spend15 minutes
brainstorming to identify specific situations
where students Behavior is negative and for
any one situation develop a strategy to
influence the students to modify their
behavior. Best way is where students would
not realize that they are being influenced.
Consider the topics:
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Learning
Shaping Behavior
Behavior Modification
Prof. Jahanzaib Yousaf, PCIT
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