Chapter

TWO

Foundations of
Individual Behavior

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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

2007 Prentice Hall Inc.

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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
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E X H I B I T 21
E X H I B I T 21

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

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Nine
Nine Physical
Physical Abilities
Abilities
Strength
StrengthFactors
Factors
1.1.
2.2.

Dynamic
Dynamicstrength
strength
Trunk
Trunkstrength
strength

3.3.
4.4.

Static
Staticstrength
strength
Explosive
Explosivestrength
strength Flexibility
FlexibilityFactors
Factors
5.5. Extent
Extentflexibility
flexibility

Other
OtherFactors
Factors
7.7.
8.8.

Body
Bodycoordination
coordination
Balance
Balance

9.9.Prentice
Stamina
Stamina
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Hall Inc.
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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

The
The Ability-Job
Ability-Job Fit
Fit

Employees
Abilities

Ability-Job
Fit

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Jobs Ability
Requirements

Biographical
Biographical Characteristics
Characteristics
Biographical Characteristics
Personal characteristicssuch as age, gender,
race and tenurethat are objective and easily
obtained from personnel records

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Learning
Learning
Learning
Any relatively permanent change in behavior that occurs
as a result of experience

Learning
Learning
Involves
Involveschange
change
IsIsrelatively
relativelypermanent
permanent
IsIsacquired
acquiredthrough
throughexperience
experience

2007 Prentice Hall Inc.

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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

2007 Prentice Hall Inc.

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 2007 Prentice Hall Inc.

All rights reserved.

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

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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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

2007 Prentice Hall Inc.

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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
Reinforcementisisrequired
requiredtotochange
changebehavior.
behavior.
Some
Somerewards
rewardsare
aremore
moreeffective
effectivethan
thanothers.
others.
The
Thetiming
timingofofreinforcement
reinforcementaffects
affectslearning
learningspeed
speedand
and
permanence.
permanence.

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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

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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

2007 Prentice Hall Inc.

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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

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

Fixed-ratio

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

Intermittent
Intermittent Schedules
Schedules of
of Reinforcement
Reinforcement

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

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

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E X H I B I T 25 (contd)
E X H I B I T 25 (contd)

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.
2.2.

Identify
Identifycritical
criticalbehaviors
behaviors
Develop
Developbaseline
baselinedata
data

3.3.
4.4.

Identify
Identifybehavioral
behavioralconsequences
consequences
Develop
Developand
andapply
applyintervention
intervention

5.5. Evaluate
Evaluateperformance
performanceimprovement
improvement

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Chapter
Chapter Check-up:
Check-up: Reinforcement
Reinforcement Theory
Theory
When professors give random pop quizzes or take
random attendance, students often complain that
they are adults, old enough to make their own
decisions, and should therefore not be required to
come to class. How do you reconcile this argument
with what we know about reinforcement theory?
Discuss with a classmate.
What kind of reinforcement schedule are these professors
using? Would a different schedule be preferable? If so,
which one?
2007 Prentice Hall Inc.
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Chapter
Chapter Check-up:
Check-up: Reinforcement
Reinforcement Theory
Theory
Recall and write down the three criteria that
indicate learning has occurred. Do you think that
learning, according to these criteria, really occurs
as a result of a one semester college class?
Discuss with a neighbor.

What kinds of things would you recommend to a college

professor to increase the likelihood of students learning
all class material? Use theories from the text to frame
your
answer.
2007
Prentice Hall Inc.
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