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Reinforcement Theory Ppt2010

Reinforcement theory of motivation was proposed by B.F. Skinner and focuses on how consequences influence behavior. It states that behaviors followed by positive consequences will increase in frequency, while behaviors followed by negative consequences will decrease. There are four methods of reinforcement: positive reinforcement uses reward to encourage behavior; negative reinforcement removes unpleasant stimuli to encourage behavior; punishment involves removing rewards to discourage undesired behavior; and extinction involves removing rewards altogether to stop a behavior. Reinforcers can be primary, naturally rewarding stimuli, or secondary, learned associations with reward. Organizations can apply reinforcement theory through behavioral modification programs that specify goals, measure current behavior, provide reinforcing consequences, and assess results. A limitation is that reinforcement may not create internal motivation

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ChetanTejani
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462 views

Reinforcement Theory Ppt2010

Reinforcement theory of motivation was proposed by B.F. Skinner and focuses on how consequences influence behavior. It states that behaviors followed by positive consequences will increase in frequency, while behaviors followed by negative consequences will decrease. There are four methods of reinforcement: positive reinforcement uses reward to encourage behavior; negative reinforcement removes unpleasant stimuli to encourage behavior; punishment involves removing rewards to discourage undesired behavior; and extinction involves removing rewards altogether to stop a behavior. Reinforcers can be primary, naturally rewarding stimuli, or secondary, learned associations with reward. Organizations can apply reinforcement theory through behavioral modification programs that specify goals, measure current behavior, provide reinforcing consequences, and assess results. A limitation is that reinforcement may not create internal motivation

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ChetanTejani
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Reinforcement Theory

of Motivation
Prepared By
 Krunal Shah
 Chetan Tejani
 Bhavesh Goyani
 Rakesh Jha
 Vitthal Parmar
 Ratansinh Thakor
What is Reinforcement Theory
Reinforcement theory of motivation was proposed by BF
Skinner and his associates. It states that individual’s
behaviour is a function of its consequences. It is based on
“law of effect”, i.e, individual’s behaviour with positive
consequences tends to be repeated, but individual’s
behaviour with negative consequences tends not to be
repeated.

according to Skinner, the external environment of the


organization must be designed effectively and positively so as
to motivate the employee. This theory is a strong tool for
analyzing controlling mechanism for individual’s behaviour.
However, it does not focus on the causes of individual’s
behaviour.
Method of Reinforcement
 Positive Reinforcement
 Negative Reinforcement
 Punishment
 Extinction
Positive Reinforcement
This implies giving a positive response when an individual
shows positive and required behaviour.

For example - Immediately praising an employee for coming


early for job. This will increase probability of outstanding
behaviour occurring again.

Reward is a positive reinforce, but not necessarily. If and only


if the employees’ behaviour improves, reward can said to be a
positive reinforcer. Positive reinforcement stimulates
occurrence of a behaviour. It must be noted that more
spontaneous is the giving of reward, the greater
reinforcement value it has.
Negative Reinforcement
This implies rewarding an employee by removing negative
or undesirable consequences.
Negative reinforcement means rewarding by taking away
uncomfortable consequences. Both positive and negative
reinforcement can be used for increasing desirable or
required behaviour.

Example:
Driving in heavy traffic is a negative condition for most of us.
You leave home earlier than usual one morning, and don't
run into heavy traffic. You leave home earlier again the next
morning and again you avoid heavy traffic. Your behavior of
leaving home earlier is strengthened by the consequence of
the avoidance of heavy traffic.
Punishment
It implies removing positive consequences so as to lower the
probability of repeating undesirable behaviour in future. In
other words, punishment means applying undesirable
consequence for showing undesirable behaviour.
Punishment is one of the more commonly used
reinforcement-theory strategies, but many learning experts
suggest that it should be used only if positive and negative
reinforcement cannot be used or have previously failed,
because of the potentially negative side effects of
punishment. An example of punishment might be demoting
an employee who does not meet performance goals or
suspending an employee without pay for violating work
rules.
Extinction
Extinction is similar to punishment in that its purpose is to
reduce unwanted behavior. The process of extinction begins
when a valued behavioral consequence is withheld in order to
decrease the probability that a learned behavior will continue.
Over time, this is likely to result in the ceasing of that behavior.
Extinction may alternately serve to reduce a wanted behavior,
such as when a positive reinforcer is no longer offered when a
desirable behavior occurs.

Example: if an employee is continually praised for the


promptness in which he completes his work for several
months, but receives no praise in subsequent months for such
behavior, his desirable behaviors may diminish. Thus, to avoid
unwanted extinction, managers may have to continue to offer
positive behavioral consequences.
Reinforcer
a stimulus (as a reward) that increases the probability of a
desired response in operant conditioning by being applied or
effected following the desired response

Types of Reinforcer

 primary reinforcer
 secondary reinforcer
primary reinforcer
This is a term used in conditioning, and it refers to anything
that provides reinforcement without the need for learning to
an organism. This means that the reinforcer is naturally
reinforcing to the organism. For example, water is naturally
reinforcing because organisms don't need to learn to be
reinforced by it, they naturally get reinforced especially in
times of being thirsty

Examples of primary reinforcers include sleep, food, air,


water. these primary reinforcers are fairly stable through life
and across individuals.
Secondary reinforcer
secondary reinforcers are reinforcing only after the organism
has been conditioned to find it reinforcing. Some stimulus
that does not naturally provide reinforcement is paired with
a primary reinforcer so that the organism begins to associate
the secondary reinforcer with the primary reinforcer.
Kinds of Reinforcing Stimuli
 Tangible – food, toys, stickers
 Social – smile, hug, pat on back, verbal
 Activity – opportunity to engage in favorite activity
 Intrinsic – engage in activities for own personal good
feelings
 Extrinsic – behavior is externally motivated; engage in
activities for approval (to please) of others
Application of Reinforcement Theory
Probably the best-known application of the principles of
reinforcement theory to organizational settings is called
behavioral modification, or behavioral contingency
management. Typically, a behavioral modification program
consists of four steps:

 Specifying the desired behavior as objectively as possible.


 Measuring the current incidence of desired behavior.
 Providing behavioral consequences that reinforce desired
behavior.
 Determining the effectiveness of the program by
systematically assessing behavioral change.
Limitation of Reinforcement
 It is difficult to identify rewards and punishments
 You must control all sources of reinforcement
 Internal changes can be difficult to create
 Punishing is difficult to do well.
THANK YOU

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