The

Individual
The inuence of individual dierences in the
form of ability and biographical characteris:cs
on employee performance and sa:sfac:on

Ability
An individuals capacity to perform the various
tasks in a job
An assessment of what one can do
Know how people dier in abili:es and use
that knowledge to increase the likelihood of
employee performing well

Intellectual Ability
The capacity to do mental ac:vi:es such as
thinking, reasoning and problem solving
Dimensions
Number Ap:tude (Accountant)
Verbal Comprehension (Plant Manager)
Perceptual Speed (Fire Inves:gator)
Induc:ve Reasoning (Market Researcher)
Deduc:ve Reasoning (Supervisor)
Spa:al Visualiza:on (Interior Decorator)
Memory (Salesperson)

Physical Ability

The capacity to do tasks that demand stamina,

dexterity, strength and similar characteris:cs
Strength Factors
Dynamic Strength
Trunk Strength
Sta:c Strength
Explosive Strength
Flexibility Factors
Extent Flexibility
Dynamic Flexibility
Other Factors
Body Co-ordina:on
Balance
Stamina

Biographical Characteris:cs
These are objec:ve in nature and easily
obtained from personal records
Age
Gender
Race
Religion
Length of Tenure

Learning
A rela:vely permanent change in behavior
that occurs as a result of experience
Learning involves change (Good or Bad)
Change must be ingrained (+ ve or ve)
Experience is necessary for learning
(Observa:on / Prac:ce / Reading)

Theories of Learning
Classical Condi:oning
Operant Condi:oning
Social Learning

Classical Condi:oning
A type of condi:oning in which an individual
responds to some s:mulus that would not
ordinarily produce such a response
Example: Dog, Meat, Bell and Saliva:on
Experiment by Scien:st Pavalov
Meat; No Bell Dog Salivates
No meat; Ring the Bell No Saliva:on
Meat & Ring the Bell Together
Dog Salivates

 Meat Uncondi:oned S:mulus

This leads to uncondi:oned response (react in a
specic way)
Ringing the Bell Condi:oned S:mulus
Reac:on was originally neutral, but eventually
responded when paired with an uncondi:oned
s:mulus
This is condi:oned response
When compelling s:muli is paired with a neutral
s:muli, the neutral one becomes a condi:oned
s:mulus and hence takes the proper:es of the
uncondi:oned s:mulus
This condi:oning is passive in nature

Operant Condi:oning
A type of condi:oning in which desired voluntary
behavior leads to a reward or prevents a
punishment (Scien:st Skinner)
Behavior is a func:on of its consequences
Crea:ng pleasing consequences to follow specic
forms of behavior would increase the frequency
of that behavior
This is in the form of posi:ve reinforcement or
rewards

 This condi:oning follows the concept of

behaviorism, which argues that behavior
follows s:muli in a rela:vely unthinking
manner
Example: If you are paid incen:ve and
promoted in your performance appraisal for
the over:me you do, it is likely that you are
going to repeat the behavior, otherwise, you
are going to decline the over:me

Social Learning
The view that people can learn through
observa:on and direct experience
The existence of observa:onal learning and
the importance of percep:on in learning
People respond to how they perceive and
dene consequences
The inuence of models (ROLE MODELS) is
central to the social learning view point

Four Processes that determine the Inuence a

Role Model has on the Individual
A_en:onal Process: When they recognize and
pay a_en:on to their models cri:cal features
Reten:on Process: How well the individual
remembers the models ac:on
Motor Reproduc:on Process: Aaer observing
the new behavior exhibited by the model, the
watching must be converted to doing
Reinforcement Process: Individuals are
mo:vated to exhibit the model behavior if
posi:ve incen:ve or rewards are provided

Shaping Behavior
Systema:cally reinforcing each successive step
that moves an individual closer to the desired
response
Posi:ve Reinforcement
Nega:ve Reinforcement
Punishment
Ex:nc:on
Here, the rst two reinforcements results in
learning as they strengthen the behavior while
the other two weaken the behavior

Scheduling of Reinforcements
Con:nuous Reinforcements: Reinforcing a desired
behavior each :me it is demonstrated
Ex: Compliments
Intermi_ent Reinforcement: Reinforcing a desired
behavior oaen enough to make the behavior worth
repea:ng but not every :me it is demonstrated
This intermi_ent can be of two types
Ra:o Schedule: Depends on how many responses the
subject makes
Interval Schedule: Depends on how much :me has
passed since the previous reinforcement

This is further is classied as

Fixed or Variable
Fixed Interval Schedule: Spacing rewards at uniform
:me intervals
Ex: Weekly Paychecks
Variable Interval Schedule: Distribu:ng rewards in
:me so that reinforcements are unpredictable
Ex: Pop Quizzes
Fixed Ra:o Schedule: Ini:a:ng rewards aaer a xed
or constant number of responses
Ex: Piece Rate Pay
Variable Ra:o Schedule: Varying the reward rela:ve
to the behavior of the individual
Ex: Commissioned Sales