LEARNING

Learning is change in behaviour through education and

training, practice and experience.

Learning is any relatively permanent change in behaviour

that occurs as a result of prior experiences.

An individual reacts to any situation or responds to

instructions in a particular fashion, which is caused due to
learning.
LEARNING Learning involves a change, though not necessarily
improvement, in behaviour. Learning may be good or bad
from organisation’s point of view.

We cannot see learning but we can see the changed

behaviour as a result of learning.

Learning is a life long process in which new behaviours are

acquired.
 Information must be meaningful.

Trainee must be motivated to

learn.

PRINCIPLES Learning must be reinforced.

OF LEARNING
Organisation of material.

Feedback on learning.
 Classical Conditioning.

Operant Conditioning.
THEORIES OF
LEARNING
Cognitive Processes.

Social Behaviour.
 The theory attributed learning to the
connection between stimulus and
response.’ (Stimulus→ Response).
THEORIES OF
Classical conditioning is defined as the
LEARNING formation of S R link (Stimulus Response)
through repeated pairing of conditioned
(CLASSICAL stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus.

CONDITIONING) This theory was developed by a Russian

psychologist Ivan Pavlov in his
experiment.
 THEORIES OF LEARNING
(CLASSICAL CONDITIONING)

1. Pavlov conducted an experiment to ascertain the

relation between salivation by the dog and ringing of
the bell.
2. When a dog was given meat it salivated. Food or meat
was considered as an unconditioned stimulus and
salivation by dog wa considered as unconditioned
response.
3. Pavlov then started ringing the bell to which the dog
didn’t respond and salivate.
4. He then started giving meat to the dog and
simultaneously rang the bell. He considered the bell
as a neutral stimulus.
THEORIES OF LEARNING
(CLASSICAL CONDITIONING)
5. When he repeatedly offered meat and rang the bell at the same time, the dog
eventually learnt to salivate each time he rang the bell.
6. Pavlov was able to link the food or meat with ringing of the bell and the neutral
stimulus got converted into learned/conditioned stimulus.
7. This is know as ‘Law of Exercise’ according to which repetitive association
between a stimulus and a response may lead to learning of a certain behaviour.
 When a CEO visits a company
branch employees try to look good,
update all the reports, window
panes and floors are cleaned
(Unconditional stimulus &
CLASSICAL Unconditional response).
CONDITIONING IN
AN ORGANISATION The arrangements (conditioned
stimulus) evokes attentive and
active work behavior (conditioned
response).
THEORIES OF LEARNING
(OPERANT CONDITIONING)
The role of consequences in understanding the learning process is (Response →
Stimulus). Operant behaviour means voluntary or learned behaviour.
Operant is defined as behaviour that produces effect. Operant conditioning is based
on the work of B.F. Skinner who advocated that individuals emit responses that are
rewarded and will not emit responses that are either not rewarded or are punished.
Operant conditioning is based on the premise that behaviour is a function of its
consequences.

People learn to behave to get something they desire or to avoid something they do not
like.

Behaviour is likely to be repeated if the consequences are favourable and it is not likely
to be repeated if the conse quences are unfavourable.
THEORIES OF LEARNING
(OPERANT CONDITIONING)

• This theory was proposed by B.F. Skinner.

• It is a method of learning that employs
rewards and punishments for behaviour
• Skinner did Rat experiment :
• When lab rats press a lever when a green
light is on, they receive a food as a reward.
• When they press the lever when a red light
is on, they receive a mild electric shock.
• As a result, they learn to press the lever
when the green light is on and avoid the
red light.
 THREE TYPES OF RESPONSES
THEORIES OF 1. Neutral Operant : Responses from the
LEARNING environment that neither increase nor
decrease the probability of a behavior
(OPERANT being repeated.
CONDITIONING) 2. Reinforcers : Responses from the
environment that increase the
probability of a behavior being
repeated. Reinforcers can be either
positive or negative.
3. Punishers : Responses from the
environment that decrease the
likelihood of a behavior being
repeated. Punishment weakens
behavior.
OPERANT
CONDITIONING
IN AN If employees engaged in sales hit the
assigned target of sales quota, they will be
ORGANISATION reinforced with suitable attractive rewards
creating pleasant consequences (giving
attractive rewards) to follow specific forms
of behavior (hitting sales target) would
increase the frequency of that behavior.
THEORIES OF LEARNING
(COGNITIVE PROCESSES)
Cognitive theorists felt that learning is achieved by thinking about the perceived
relationship between events and individual goals. The processes within the
individual concerned with receiving, preserving and interpreting information make
the individual learn new patterns of behaviour.

Cognition refers to an individual’s thoughts, knowledge, and interpretation about

oneself and his/her environment.

This theory suggests that a person preserves and organises all information relating
to the events that may occur in learning.
• This theory was developed by THEORIES OF LEARNING
Kohler who conducted an
experiment on monkey
(COGNITIVE PROCESSES)
• He gave 2 sticks to a monkey in a
cage.
• Both sticks were short to reach
the banana lying outside the
cage
• Monkey used his cognition,
joined the two sticks and pulled
the banana inside.
• This learning process involved
organising bits of information in
an effective manner
 It is an integrative theory of
learning which explains that
people learn through
observation and direct
experience.

THEORIES OF
This theory states that
LEARNING people learn from both
observation and direct
(SOCIAL experience.

BEHAVIOR)
By observing people around
us, mostly from parents,
teachers, peers, tv, we learn
new behaviours.
THEORIES OF LEARNING
(SOCIAL BEHAVIOR)
• This theory was developed
by Albert Bandura.
• He introduced bobo doll to
children, who watched a
person perform violent
acts on the doll.
• When the children were
left alone with the doll,
they performed similar
violent acts on the doll.
 REINFORCING
SHAPING BEHAVIOR • The action of strengthening or encouraging something
• The attempt to develop or strengthen desirable behavior

In any organisation, managers are concerned with making the

subordinates learn those behaviours that are most beneficial to
the organisation. When a manager moulds individuals by guiding
their learning in graduated steps, he is shaping behaviour.

A manager can shape behaviour by systematically reinforcing

each successive step that moves the individual closer to the
desired response.
THE LAW OF EFFECT

The operant conditioning or learning approach to behaviour is

based on the law of effect.

The law states that the behaviour that has rewarding

consequence is likely to be repeated; whereas behaviour that
leads to a negative consequence tends not to be repeated.
STRATEGIES OF
REINFORCEMENT

Reinforcement as anything that both

increases the strength of response and
tends to induce repetitions of the
behaviour that preceded the
reinforcement.
STRATEGIES OF REINFORCEMENT
POSITIVE NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT
REINFORCEMENT : /AVOIDANCE LEARNING :
• This strategy facilitates the use of rewards that • Negative reinforcement occurs when
stimulate desired behaviour. people try to escape or run away to
• There are two kinds of positive reinforces-primary avoid unpleasant consequences or
reinforcers and secondary reinforcers. situations.

• Primary reinforcers are concerned with satisfaction of • It relies on avoidance of punishment

physiological/basic needs while secundary or the threat of punishment rather than
reinforcers are associated with pleasure having the offering of a reward.
different meaning for different individuals.
• Primary reinforcers can be food, shelter and clothing.
Secondary reinforcers can be status, recognition etc.
POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT
STRATEGIES OF REINFORCEMENT
EXTINCTION PUNISHMENT
• It aims at reducing unwanted behaviour. It is • Punishment is used to rectify the
based on the assumption that if a response is incorrect behaviour of an individual.
not reinforced it will vanish. It simply means administration of an
• Managers withdraw all types of reinforcement undesirable behaviour in order to
reduce its occurrence and repetition.
to control certain undesirable behaviour of
employees. • Punishment should be wisely used
• In simple words extinction occurs when a by the management. Frequent
valued behavioural consequence is withheld in punishment may reduce its
effectiveness.
order to reduce the learned behaviour.
SCHEDULES OF REINFORCEMENT
Schedules of reinforcement are the precise rules that are used to present (or to remove)
reinforcers (or punishers) following a specified operant behavior. These rules are defined
in terms of the time and/or the number of responses required in order to present (or to
remove) a reinforcer (or a punisher).
SCHEDULES OF REINFORCEMENT