Assignment:
Review book: Performance Management: Changing Behavior That Drives Organizational Effectiveness by Aubrey C. Daniels and Jon S. Bailey
Part I: D&B Chapter 12: Consequences That Increase Behavior: Positive and Negative Reinforcers
Q1. What is the distinction between a reinforcer and reinforcement? Need Assignment Help?
Q2. What does, "You cannot tell if something is a positive reinforcer based on one application" mean? Why is this important to consider when thinking about how "reinforcers" are traditionally considered and delivered in the workplace?
Q3. What is positive reinforcement? What is negative reinforcement? Provide one novel business example for positive reinforcement. Provide one novel business example for negative reinforcement.
Q4. Describe the four distinguishing characteristics of reinforcers.
Q5. Provide business examples of escape and avoidance contingencies- distinguish the difference between the two.
Q6. Explain what this means, "...because negative reinforcement increases behavior, some managers don't see the need for positive reinforcement" (think: oughta-wanna). What are some side effects of organizations relying too heavily on negative reinforcement?
Q7. What are some of the side effects of positive reinforcement?
Q8. Understanding that people seek reinforcers, the quote "you couldn't pay me enough to work for him" suggests what behaviorally?
Q9. With extinction, individuals are still able to engage in the response, however engaging in that response no longer produces access to reinforcers it once did. There is a discontinuation of the response-reinforcer relationship. Give an example of how a manager uses extinction (either intentionally or unintentionally).
Part II: D& B Chapter 14: Finding Reinforcers, Creating Reinforcers (R+)
Q1. Reinforcers at work can be difficult to determine. Why is that? What are some boundaries?
Q2. Just like Baum would note, "Wants, desires or values are not the same as reinforcers" why not? What is the essential difference between preferences and reinforcers?
Q3. What is one of the most powerful (potential) reinforcers that is free and easily at the disposal of management?
Q4. Describe the 3 methods of potentially identifying reinforcers in the workplace.
Q5. Anytime you ask people to describe events, there is a risk of inaccuracy - describe the 3 problems most often encountered when asking what people like. What can you do to overcome these?
Q6. What is the Premack Principle? Give a business example of how the Premack Principle could be incorporated.
Activity Challenge: Use the Premack Principle at least once this week (this does not have to be done in the workplace but can be done in your personal life).
Q7. There are four characteristics of effective reinforcers, describe each.
Q8. List some social and tangible reinforcers that could realistically be used in your workplace.
Q9. Describe the drawbacks with using money as a reinforcer at work.
Q10. What is the take home message of the Creating R+ section?
Part III: D& B Chapter 15: Delivering Reinforcers Effectively
Q1. Describe the guidelines for delivering reinforcers effectively.
Q2. Once you have described the guidelines, think back to your work experience, which parts are usually forgotten or done incorrectly? And which do you think will be the most important to you as a manager/leader?
Q3. What is the 4:1 ratio getting at? How might this ratio help you as manager/leader?
Q4. What is the purpose of the log in Fig 15.2? If you were to use something similar to this within your workplace what type of information might you gather?
Q5. What is the "no buts" rule and why is saying "but" problematic? What might be a strategy you use to avoid this?
Q6. Describe the potential problems in delivering reinforcement.
Q7. The short section on, "Not Reinforcing the Behavior of Reinforcing" is very important for those who are planning on increasing their rate of reinforcement of direct reports or even colleagues. What are some reactions that you might get from someone you have just given praise to for something at work? What if someone "rejects" your reinforcer by saying something like, "It was nothing." How might you respond?