REINFORCEMENT

Reinforcement is the crucial factor in the learning process. This is also known as

the method of shaping employees' behaviour. Perception becomes learning only

through reinforcement.

Perception = Stimuli- Attention- Recognition- Translation -Behaviour

Learning = Stimuli -Attention -Recognition -Translation- Reinforcement

-Behaviour- Habit

Reinforcement is the repeated use of the translated stimuli to induce new

behaviour. It increases the strength of response and induces repetitions of the

response, which is the outcome of the translated and evaluated stimuli. When

reward is attached to behaviour, it becomes a habit. Reinforcement increases the

possibility of specific responses occurring in future as a result of evaluated stimuli or uses.

Learning = Input- Process -Output

= Stimuli- Reinforcement- Behaviour

Reinforcement is (he instrument or process of learning in all the models discussed

already. No stimuli can take the shape of behaviour unless reinforcement or repetition

takes place during the learning process. A learner of car driving learns until such time

it becomes a part of the total habits of the learner. The behaviour i.e. learning car

driving becomes a habit because the learner gets rewarded for his behaviour in the

form of the satisfaction of car driving.

Reinforcement is the repeated exposure of knowledge for translation into practice and habit. New behaviour or change in behaviour is the output of learning, which is the outcome of stimuli input through reinforcement.

Classical, operant and social learning models lay emphasis on

reinforcement. Reinforcement is another term for conditioning. The stimuli, response

and social activities are conditioned to arrive at a new behaviour or change in

behaviour. Behaviourists have proposed conditioning of employees for proper

behaviour. Repetition, adherence, stimulus, generalisation or discrimination,

converting theory into practice is various forms of reinforcement. A habit is formed

through repeated rewards attached to behaviour. While conditioning explains how

employees learn from cues or stimuli, operant (instrumental) conditioning refers to

response or goal directed activities. Social conditioning is concerned with social

recognition and acceptability. Employees learn in this case through modeling various

observation or self-understanding. Reinforcement is a cognitive process. The stimuli

are translated into habit through an effective, cognitive and behaviour process.

Reinforcement, being cognitive in nature, is environmentally based. The law of effect

is used in reinforcement for getting the reward. Goal-oriented reinforcement is long

lasting and increases the strength of response.

TYPES OF REINFORCEMENT

Reinforcement may either be

positive and negative,
extrinsic and intrinsic,
primary and secondary,
punishment and extinction.

It is used to shape the behaviour of employees. Systematical reinforcement of successive steps will move employees closer to the desired response. They reinforce improvement in their behaviour.

Positive and Negative reinforcement:

Positive reinforcement consists of events that assure achievement of a specific response or the desired behaviour. Getting technical skills assures the desired result of reward, and the changing of behaviour into a permanent habit of technical performance, when response is pleasant as a result of the repetitive efforts of employees, is called as positive reinforcement. It means that positive reinforcement assures desired consequences and pleasant achievements through strengthening of the present behaviour or present new behaviour.

Positive reinforcement strengthens behaviour for pleasant performance and reward. It is the presentation of attractive results.

Negative reinforcement does not give an unpleasant response, but avoids an

unpleasant response. Negative reinforcement is the termination or withdrawal of an unpleasant and undesirable result. It helps employees escape from aversive or disagreeable conditions. Negative reinforcement is the termination of unattractive results. It is not punishment because punishment discourages behaviour, and negative reinforcement avoids

unpleasant jobs. They may avoid punishment by being alert enough to avoid undesirable events. For example, employees are not very active and good performers when the supervisor is not present in the factory.

If a supervisor comes at a particular time, the employees become active before his entry into the factory. It is a negative reinforcement that employees avoid unpleasant rewards in the presence of the supervisor by nonworking and being non-active. If employees do not bother about the supervisor and do not exercise negative reinforcement, i.e. avoiding inaction, they will be punished by the supervisor for non-working and for their laxness.

Negative reinforcement simply avoids unpleasant tasks, but it does not assure a pleasant performance for which positive reinforcement is essential in the organisation.