UNIT-4

Organizational Behavior and Learning Organizational Behavior

Contents:

 Key elements and basic approaches of Organizational Behavior

 Organizational Behavior Concepts needed by Managers
 Models of Organizational Behavior - Autocratic and Custodial
 Models of Organizational Behavior - Supportive, Collegial, System
 Learning Process & Factors affecting Learning
 Learning Theories :
 Classic Conditioning
 Operant Conditioning
 Cognitive Learning & Social Learning

Introduction:

Organization: An organization is a collection of people who work together to achieve

individual and organizational goals. The field of organizational behavior deals with human
behavior in organization. OB is the study of knowledge concerning the way in which
individuals and groups act and behave within an organization.

Definition:

 According to Keith Devis, ―Organizational behavior is the study and application of

knowledge about how people as individuals and as groups act within organization. It
strives to identify ways in which people can act more effectively.‖

Need for Organization:

We need organization to execute the management function. Study of organization has to be

made necessarily for following reasons:

 It provides an ideal setting for the study of human behavior. The study of organization
leads to man‘s important discoveries that are vital for the continued well-being of the
institutes particularly and the society in general.
 Knowledge of organization helps managers to effectively, know various things, such
as how to run the organization and protect the environment needs, how to motivate
run the organizational subordinates, how to manage conflicts, how to introduce
behavioral changes and so on.
 Organizations pervade in all the important phases of man‘s life. A man is born in
organizations (hospitals, clinics etc.); he is educated in organizations (schools,
colleges etc.), and works in organization (factories, office etc.).

Historical evolution of organizational behavior:

By looking back at the history of organizational behavioral, you gain a great deal of
insight into how the field got to where it is today. Three individuals are important who

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 promoted ideas which had major influence in shaping the direction and boundaries of
Organizational Behavior (OB).

Objectives of Organizational Behavior:

• To analyze different perspective and potentialities to create and develop the ethical
values in an organization.
• To analyze the potentialities towards the ways and means to conduct and organize the
systems, methods and approaches for organization development in an organization,
• To analyze how to make perspective methods and process of effective communication
to formulate ethical norms in an organization,
• To analyze various aspects and factors affecting the group cohesiveness.
• To analyze the mutual interest of individual and group. Mutual interest is represented
by the statement ‗Organization needs people, and people also need organization.

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Nature of Organization Behavior:

 A Separate Field of Study and Not a Discipline Only: O.B. has a multi-
interdisciplinary orientation and is, thus, not based on a specific theoretical
background.
 An Interdisciplinary Approach: It tries to integrate the relevant knowledge drawn
from related disciplines like psychology, sociology and anthropology to make them
applicable for analyzing organizational behavior.
 An Applied Science: What O.B. basically does is the application of various
researches to solve the organizational problems related to human behavior.
 A Normative Science: O.B. prescribes how the findings of applied researches can be
applied to socially accepted organizational goals.
 A Humanistic and Optimistic Approach:O.B. is based on the belief that people
have an innate desire to be independent, creative and productive.
 A Science as well as an Art: The systematic knowledge about human behavior is a
science and the application of behavioral knowledge and skills is an art.
Levels of analyzing Organization Behavior:
 Individual Level – Deals with the concepts at the individual level. Examples of
individual- level are perception, personality, learning, motivation, and attitude.
 Group Level – Deals with the concepts at the group level. Examples of group-level
concepts are team, conflict, leadership, power, and politics.
 Organizational Level – Deals with the concepts at the organizational level. Examples
of organizational- level concepts are change management and organizational culture.

Elements of Organization Behavior:

 People: People makes the interactive and behavioral platform in any organization and
people consists in the form of individuals and group.
 Structure: The formal relationship of people makes the structural design in
organization. The rights and responsibilities are also being determined in a particular
group or structure.
 Technology: The technology represent all the resources with which people work and
affects the task that they perform.
 Interactive Behaviour:The mutual behavior among people may be developed by the
identification, existence and interactive role in any organization and society.
 Environment: All organizations operates within internal and external environment
includes structural design, work performance, mutual relations and behavioral
patterns.
Approaches to Organizational Behavior:
 Human Resource Approach: This approach recognizes that human resources in an
organization are the central force. Their development will contribute to the success of
the organization. Human resources approach provides for the changes in the

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 managerial role. It requires that the managers, instead of controlling the employees,
should provide active support to them by treating them as part of the group.
 Contingency Approach: The approach stresses that there is no single way to manage
effectively under all circumstances. The manager‘s task therefore, is to identify which
method will, in a particular situation, under particular circumstances and at a
particular time, best contribute to the attainment of organization‘s goals.
 Productivity Approach: Productivity means the numerical value of the ratio of
output to input. Higher the value of this ratio, greater is the efficiency and
effectiveness of the management. For example if better organizational behavior can
reduce worker‘s turnover or the number of absentees, a human output or benefit
occurs.
 System Approach: The systems approach is of the view that an organization is a
powerful system with several subsystems which are highly and closely
interconnected. Any action taken to solve the problems in one subsystem will have its
effect on the other subsystems as well; since all the parts of the organization are
closely connected.
Organizational Behavior Concepts needed by Managers:
By learning the concepts of OB managers can adept at the following skills:
 Identify and promote positive behaviors: "Prosocial" behaviors within an
organization are those which benefit other individuals and the company as a whole.
Leaders at every level of the organization need to be able to identify, promote and
reward these behaviors -- and conversely, to discourage behaviors that lead to mistrust
and other poor interpersonal dynamics between people who must work together.
 Create a positive workplace culture: Individual "prosocial" behaviors do not
necessarily occur naturally. New hires do not come into organizations with a mental
makeup optimized for the success of their companies. They must first be encourage,
with recognition, perks and bonuses. The right incentives are the building blocks of a
supportive and selfless workplace culture.
 Motivate employees to exhibit "prosocial" behaviors: This discipline offers a set
of motivational tools for managers to use, which takes into account individual
differences between employees. Effectively, this skill is applied psychology and
sociology for managers.
 Identify the causes of "antisocial" behaviors: Toxic behaviors that can infect a
department and spread throughout an organization may originate with individuals;
they may come from the top down; or they may even be the result of external or
internal influences. A manager with expertise in organizational behavior will be able
to find the root causes of negative behaviors and develop plans to solve the identified
problems.
 Assess likely employee response before initiating organizational
change: Predictive capabilities are among the most important for managers, and
become even more important as leaders work their way up in the organizational
structure. In order to determine the right strategies and implement them successfully,
leaders at every level must be able to accurately anticipate how employees will react,

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 and work to develop contingencies. The study of organizational behavior enables this
predictive capability.
 Relationship Building: This relationship emphasis allows the supervisor to develop a
connection with employees that helps in coaching, offering constructive feedback and
challenging workers to reach new heights.
 Goal Setting Benefits: Goals provide employees a target to shoot for in carrying out
work activities. Collaborating with workers to set goals -- and then monitoring
progress, rewarding achievements and addressing deficiencies -- all contribute to
building and maintaining high levels of performance.
 Managing a Diverse Workforce: Managers have to develop a culture of tolerance,
acceptance of differences and open communication. Without these cultural values,
diversity can lead to personal conflicts, tension and potentially discrimination
allegations.
 Management Style: Management style impacts the behaviors of workers.
Traditional managers were often controlling, monitored employee task performance
closely and directed routine activities. Contemporary managers often do better with a
coaching style approach.
Models of Organizational behavor:
Every organization develops a particular model in which behavior of the people takes
place. This model is developed on the basis of management‘s assumptions about people
and the vision of the management. Since these assumptions vary to a great extent, these
result into the development of different organizational behavior models (OB models).
 Autocratic Model: Autocratic model, managerial orientation is towards power.
Managers see authority as the only means to get the things done, and employees are
expected to follow orders. The result is high dependence on boss. This dependence is
possible because employees live on the subsistence level. The organizational process is
mostly formalized; the authority is delegated by right of command over people to whom
it applies. The management decides what the best action for the employees is. The model
is largely based on the Theory of X assumptions of McGregor where the human beings
are taken inherently distasteful to work and try to avid responsibility. A very strict and
close supervision is required to obtain desirable performance from them.
Features:
 The authority is delegated by the right of command over the people to whom it
applies.
 It assumes that the employees have to be directed, persuaded and pushed into
performance.
 Management does the thinking and employees obey the orders.
 This conventional view leads to tight control of employees at work.
 Under autocratic model, the employee‘s orientation is obedience to the boss; they
need not be respectful to him.
 The bosses have absolute power to hire fire and perspire employees.
 The employees depend upon the boss and are paid minimum wages for minimum
performance.

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Assumptions of Autocratic Model:

 The leadership in an autocratic model is negative because the employees are

uninformed, insecure and afraid.
 Nowadays, this model is not applicable in strict sense because there are minimum
wages laws in most of the countries.
 Thus, the managers cannot threaten to cut down the wages or rewards of the
workers.
 Use of autocratic model develops frustration amongst employees as it is based on
economic concept of the man.
 It assumes that people work mainly to satisfy their physiological needs.

 Custodial Model: In the custodial model, the managerial orientation is towards the use
of money to play for employee benefits. The model depends on the economic resources
of the organization and its ability to pay for the benefits. While the employees hope to
obtain security, at the same time they become highly dependent on the organization. An
organizational dependence reduces personal dependence on boss. The employees are
able to satisfy their security needs or in the context of Herzberg‘s theory only
maintenance factors. These employees working under custodial model feel happy; their
level of performance is not very high. This resembles again to Herzberg‘s satisfier and
dissatisfier. Since employees are getting adequate regards and organizational security,
they feel happy. However, they are not given any authority to decide what benefits or
rewards they should get.
Features:
 The success of the Custodial Model depends upon the economic resources
because this model emphasizes the economic rewards and benefits.
 Since employee‘s physiological needs are already met the employer looks to
security needs as a motivating force.
 The employees under Custodial Model depend upon organisation rather than their
boss.
 If the organisation has got good welfare and development programs for the
employees, they cannot afford to leave the organisation.
 Under this model, the employees are satisfied and happy and they are not strongly
motivated.
 So they give only passive cooperation.
 They do not work more vigorously than under the autocratic approach.
Assumptions:
 In order to overcome the frustration and develop better relationship with
employees, managers follow the custodial model of direction.
 Managers use economic resources to provide fringe benefits and other economic
rewards, like pension, gratuity etc. to employees.
 Money is used as a strong motivator to satisfy their security needs (job security);
though, however, their physiological needs are largely met in the autocratic
model.
 They want the organisation to provide them fair wages for which they cooperate
with the management.
 It, thus believes in power of money rather than power of authority.

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 Supportive Model: The supportive model organizational behavior depends on
managerial leadership rather than on the use of power of money. The aim of managers is
to support employees in their achievement of results. The focus is primarily on
participation and involvement of employees in managerial decision-making process. The
model is based on principles of supportive relationships of Likert, which is the basic
ingredient of his system 4 (participative). Likert states that, the leadership and other
processes of the organization must be such as to ensure a maximum probability that in
all interactions and all relationships with the organizations each member will, in the light
of his background, values and expectation views the experience as supportive and one
which builds and maintains his sense of personal worth and importance.
Features:
 The Supportive Model depends on leadership instead of power or money.
 Management, with the help of leadership try to create a favorable organizational
climate in which the employees are helped to grow capacities and achieve things in
compliance with the goals of the organization.
 It should be the orientation of the management to support the employees‘ job
performance, rather than simply giving them payments and benefits as in the
custodial approach.
 This model takes care of the psychological needs of the employees in addition to
their subsistence and security needs
 Supportive behavior helps in creating friendly superior-subordinate interaction with
a high degree of confidence and trust.
Assumptions:
 The leader assumes that the worker will take responsibility, make their contributions
and improve themselves, if given a chance.
 It is assumed that the workers are not lazy and work shirkers by nature.
 If properly motivated, they can be self-directed and creative to the organization.
 The supportive model aims to satisfy their psychological needs also besides
physiological and safety needs through participative style of management.
 Managers adopt relationship-oriented organization behavior and allow employees to
participate in the decision-making process.
 It provides supportive climate in the organization where innovative abilities of
employees are exploited to their fullest and they contribute to organizational goals
to the best of their abilities.
 Collegial Model: Collegial model is an extension of supportive model. The term
collegial refers to a body of people having common purpose. Collegial model is based on
the team concept in which each employee develops high degree of understanding
towards others and shares common goals. The employee response to this situation is
responsibility. Employees need little direction and control from management. Control is
basically through self-discipline by the team members. The organizational climate is
quite conductive to self-fulfillment and self-actualization. Collegial model tends to be
more useful with unprogrammed work requiring behavioral flexibility, an intellectual
environment, and considerable job freedom.

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Features:
 This model creates a favorable climate in the organization as the workers feel that
they are the partners in the organization.
 They don‘t see the managers as their bosses but as joint contributors. Both the
management and workers accept and respect each other.
 The collegial model inculcates the team spirit in an organization.
 The workers accept responsibilities because they find it their obligation to do so, not
because that they will be punished by the management.
Assumptions:
 The collegial model is based around teamwork – everybody working as colleagues
(hence the name of the model).
 The overall environment and corporate culture need to be aligned to this model, where
everybody is actively participating – is not about status and job titles – everybody is
encouraged to work together to build a better organization.
 The role of the manager is to foster this teamwork and create positive and energetic
workplaces. In much regard, the manager can be considered to be the ―coach‖ of the
team. And as coach, the goal is to make the team perform well overall, rather than
focus on their own performance, or the performance of key individuals.
 System model: The system model is relatively common in today‘s work environment. Rather
than viewing employees in isolation, the system model looks to integrate employees and their
skill set into the processes and functions of the organization. As a result, this model is a shift
away from the traditional approach where the employees were primarily motivated by financial
and other benefits only. This model is based on trust, self-motivation, and the performance
results will be more than expected, because employees will be committed to do their
tasks as expected, and as well as organizational goals.
Features:
 Depends on trust, community, understanding
 Managerial orientation is caring, compassion
 Employee orientation is psychological ownership
 Employee psychological result is self-motivation
 Employee needs met is wide range
 Performance result is passion, commitment, organization goal.
Learning process:
Learning can be defined as the permanent change in behavior due to direct and indirect
experience. It means change in behavior, attitude due to education, training, practice and
experience. It is completed by acquisition of knowledge and skills, which are relatively
permanent.

Definition: Learning is any relatively permanent change in behavior that occurs as a

result of experience. - Stephen P. Robbins.

Learning is the process of having one‘s behavior modified, more or less permanently, by
what he does and the consequences of his action, or by what he observes. - Munn N.L.

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 Nature of Learning:

Learning is a relatively permanent change in knowledge or behavior that results from

practice or experience. There are several key points in this definition.
 First, with learning comes change: For example, when you learn a second language,
your knowledge about how to communicate evolves, and your behavior changes when
communicating with native speakers of the language.
 Second, the change in knowledge or behavior has to be relatively permanent or
long lasting: For example, If you attempt to communicate with someone in another
language by looking up words in a dictionary that you quickly forget once the
interaction is complete, learning did not take place because there was no permanent
change in your knowledge of the second language.
 Third, learning takes place as a result of practice or through experience: For
example, learning a second language requires much practice in pronunciation, word
usage, and grammar.
Types of learning:
 Visual Learners: Visual learners learn primarily through the written word.
 Auditory Learners: Auditory learners learn primarily through listening.
 Kinesthetic Learners: Kinesthetic learners learn better by doing.
Characteristics of Learning:
 Learning is Purposeful: Each student sees a learning situation from a different
viewpoint. Each student is a unique individual whose past experiences affect
readiness to learn and understanding of the requirements involved.
 Learning is a Result of Experience: Since learning is an individual process, the
instructor cannot do it for the student. The student can learn only from personal
experiences; therefore, learning and knowledge cannot exist apart from a person.
 Learning is Multifaceted: Learning is multifaceted in still another way. While
learning the subject at hand, students may be learning other things as well. They may
be developing attitudes about aviation-good or bad-depending on what they
experience.
 Learning is an Active Process: Students do not soak up knowledge like a sponge
absorbs water. The instructor cannot assume that students remember something just
because they were in the classroom, shop, or airplane when the instructor presented
the material.
Learning Process:
 Stimuli: Stimuli are any objects and language which draw the attention of people.
Employees get stimuli from the actions of their superiors. Superiors tell and advice
employees who pay attention to these stimuli. All the stimuli may not be fully
attended to.
 Attention: The degree of attention depends upon the nature of stimuli. All stimuli are
not paid attention to. Technical and interesting stimuli are highly attended. Career-
oriented stimuli are generally accepted by employees. The personality levels of
employees influence their desires to learn, motives for need fulfillment and tension
reduction.
 Recognition: Attention-paid stimuli are recognized as acceptable factors of
improvement and new life styles. Employees paying attention to stimuli are

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 recognizing the stimuli for learning purposes. The levels of recognition depend upon
the levels of values, preferences, needs and desires of the employees.
 Translation: The translation and evaluation process is a crucial point for
implementing the stimuli in behavior through reinforcement. Employees behave
properly through attitude changes, objectivity, mental and physical development. It is
observed in better performances.
 Reinforcement: Reinforced perception is learning. The perception process includes
stimuli, attention, recognition, translation and behavior. Perception leads to learning,
but perception itself is not learning unless it is reinforced. Repeated action is
reinforcement. Reinforcement may be positive, negative, punishment and extinction.
Learners learn as per their perception levels. Generally positive reinforcement is more
effective for making permanent changes in behavior.
 Behavior: Learning changes behavior through reinforcement of perceived
knowledge. It makes permanent changes in behavior. A temporary change in behavior
is not learning. Positive behavior gives rewards to employees.
 Reward: Employees expect rewards for learning. If the translated behavior provides a
reward, it is accepted, otherwise it is not accepted. Employees develop their behavior
into habits. Rewards may be monetary or non-monetary.
 Habits: A permanent change in behavior becomes a habit which helps continuous
improvement in behavior and performance. Employees develop the habit of self-
appraisal and development. It helps to instill creativity and confidence in employees
who are encouraged to behave properly again and again.
 Motives: Motives depend on the level of satisfaction. Employees getting more
satisfaction through learning develop high motives. Less satisfied learners have low
motives. Learning is complete only when motives are fully realized and translated
into efforts.
 Efforts: Habits help achieve good efforts and performance. This is a continuous
process. Efforts are the automatic outcome of good habits which are acquired through
the learning process. Self-development is possible through self-effort. Employees
willing to develop themselves are self-motivated and effort-oriented.
Factors Affecting Learning:
 The availability of appropriate learning environments
 Their image of learning
 The rewards associated with any learning activity
 The availability of information about learning opportunities
 The climate in which learning takes place, especially that created by government and
employers.

Learning theories:
Classical Conditioning: Classical conditioning is a type of learning that had a major
influence on the school of thought in psychology known as behaviorism. Discovered by
Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov, classical conditioning is a learning process that occurs
through associations between an environmental stimulus and a naturally occurring stimulus.
Behaviorism is based on the assumption that:
 All learning occurs through interactions with the environment
 The environment shapes behavior

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How Does Classical Conditioning Work?
Phase 1: Before Conditioning:
 The unconditioned stimulus is one that unconditionally, naturally, and automatically
triggers a response. For example, when you smell one of your favorite foods, you may
immediately feel very hungry. In this example, the smell of the food is the
unconditioned stimulus.
 The unconditioned response is the unlearned response that occurs naturally in
response to the unconditioned stimulus. In our example, the feeling of hunger in
response to the smell of food is the unconditioned response.
Phase 2: During Conditioning:
 During the second phase of the classical conditioning process, the previously neutral
stimulus is repeatedly paired with the unconditioned stimulus. The subject has now
been conditioned to respond to this stimulus.
 The conditioned stimulus is previously neutral stimulus that, after becoming
associated with the unconditioned stimulus, eventually comes to trigger a conditioned
response. In our earlier example, suppose that when you smelled your favorite food,
you also heard the sound of a Whistle. While the whistle is unrelated to the smell of
the food, if the sound of the whistle was paired multiple times with the smell, the
sound would eventually trigger the conditioned response. In this case, the sound of the
whistle is the conditioned stimulus.
Phase 3: After Conditioning:
 The conditioned response is the learned response to the previously neutral stimulus.
In our example, the conditioned response would be feeling hungry when you heard
the sound of the whistle.
Experiment:
Pavlov’s Famous Study: The best-known of Pavlov‘s experiments involves the study of the
salivation of dogs. Pavlov was originally studying the saliva of dogs as it related to digestion,
but as he conducted his research, he noticed that the dogs would begin to salivate every time
he entered the room—even if he had no food. The dogs were associating his entrance into the
room with being fed. This led Pavlov to design a series of experiments in which he used
various sound objects, such as a buzzer, to condition the salivation response in dogs. He
started by sounding a buzzer each time food was given to the dogs and found that the dogs
would start salivating immediately after hearing the buzzer—even before seeing the food.
After a period of time, Pavlov began sounding the buzzer without giving any food at all and
found that the dogs continued to salivate at the sound of the buzzer even in the absence of
food. They had learned to associate the sound of the buzzer with being fed. If we look at
Pavlov‘s experiment, we can identify the four factors of classical conditioning at work:
Four factors of classical conditioning at work:
 The unconditioned response was the dogs‘ natural salivation in response to seeing or
smelling their food.
 The unconditioned stimulus was the sight or smell of the food itself.
 The conditioned stimulus was the ringing of the bell, which previously had no
association with food.

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  The conditioned response, therefore, was the salivation of the dogs in response to the
ringing of the bell, even when no food was present.
 Pavlov had successfully associated an unconditioned response (natural salivation in
response to food) with a conditioned stimulus (a buzzer), eventually creating a
conditioned response (salivation in response to a buzzer). With these results, Pavlov
established his theory of classical conditioning.

Operant conditioning theory:

Operant conditioning, sometimes referred to as instrumental conditioning, is a method
of learning that employs rewards and punishments for behavior. Through operant
conditioning, an association is made between a behavior and a consequence (whether
negative or positive) for that behavior. Operant conditioning was first described by
behaviorist B.F. Skinner.
Types of Behaviors: Skinner distinguished between two different types of behaviors
 Respondent behavior: Respondent behaviors are those that occur automatically and
reflexively, such as pulling your hand back from a hot stove or jerking your leg when the
doctor taps on your knee. You don't have to learn these behaviors. They simply occur
automatically and involuntarily.
 Operant behaviors: Operant behaviors, on the other hand, are those under our
conscious control. Some may occur spontaneously and others purposely, but it is the
consequences of these actions that then influence whether or not they occur again in the
future. Our actions on the environment and the consequences of that action make up an
important part of the learning process.
Components of Operant Conditioning:
 Reinforcement in Operant Conditioning: Reinforcement is any event that strengthens
or increases the behavior it follows. There are two kinds of reinforces. In both of these
cases of reinforcement, the behavior increases.
 Positive reinforces : are favorable events or outcomes that are presented after the
behavior. In positive reinforcement situations, a response or behavior is strengthened by
the addition of praise or a direct reward. If you do a good job at work and your manager
gives you a bonus, that bonus is a positive reinforce.
 Negative reinforces : Involve the removal of an unfavorable events or outcomes after
the display of a behavior. In these situations, a response is strengthened by the removal

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 of something considered unpleasant. For example, if your child starts to scream in the
middle of a restaurant, but stops once you hand them a treat, your action led to the
removal of the unpleasant condition, negatively reinforcing your behavior (not your
child's).
Punishment in Operant Conditioning:
Punishment is the presentation of an adverse event or outcome that causes a decrease in
the behavior it follows. There are two kinds of punishment. In both of these cases, the
behavior decreases.
 Positive punishment sometimes referred to as punishment by application, presents an
unfavorable event or outcome in order to weaken the response it follows. Spanking for
misbehavior is an example of punishment by application.
 Negative punishment, also known as punishment by removal, occurs when a favorable
event or outcome is removed after a behavior occurs. Taking away a child's video game
following misbehavior is an example of negative punishment.

Examples of Operant Conditioning:

 After performing in a community theater play, you receive applause from the audience.
This act as a positive reinforce, inspiring you to try out for more performance roles.
 A professor tells students that if they have perfect attendance all semester, then they do
not have to take the final comprehensive exam. By removing an unpleasant stimulus
(the final test), students are negatively reinforced to attend class regularly.
 A teen girl does not clean up her room as she was asked, so her parents take away her
phone for the rest of the day. This is an example of a negative punishment in which a
positive stimulus is taken away.
Cognitive Learning Theory:
The Cognitive Learning Theory is a broad theory used to explain the mental processes
and how they are influenced by both internal and external factors in order to produce learning
in an individual. The theory is credited to Educational psychologist Jean Piaget. He believed
knowledge is something that is actively constructed by learners based on their existing
cognitive structures. Piaget disagreed with the behaviorist theory which focuses strictly on
observable behavior. He concentrated more attention to what went on inside the learner's
head, instead of how they reacted.
The Cognitive Learning Process:
Cognitive learning is centered on the mental processes by which the learner takes in,
interprets, stores, and retrieves information. These mental processes occur between
stimulus/input and response/output. The individual takes in the stimulus, processes it in their
mind, and then acts upon the stimulus. Those mental processes have several elements
including:
 Attention
 Observing
 Perception & Interpreting
 Organizing & Memory (storing and retrieval)
 Categorizing

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Benefits of cognitive learning: Cognitive learning is an effective way of fostering a life-long
love of learning and improvement in employees. Organizations can use cognitive learning
strategies to impact the following benefits on their staff:
• Enhance comprehension
• Improves problem-solving skills
• Boosts confidence
• Encourages continuous learning.
Cognitive Learning Activities:
• Make a game of memorizing poetry or facts
• Write a journal entry that asks students to think about what they learned that day or
week
• Students can demonstrate work in front of the class
• Have students create their own learning game as they work to master facts or a subject
• Ask students to explain a problem to other students and teach it to them
• Put a list of questions on the board and have students answer them to learn about their
thought process.
Social learning theory:
Social learning theory, proposed by Albert Bandura, emphasizes the importance of observing,
modeling, and imitating the behaviors, attitudes, and emotional reactions of others. Social
learning theory considers how both environmental and cognitive factors interact to influence
human learning and behavior. There are three core concepts at the heart of social learning
theory.
 First is the idea that people can learn through observation.
 Next is the notion that internal mental states are an essential part of this process.
 Finally, this theory recognizes that just because something has been learned, it does
not mean that it will result in a change in behavior.
People can learn through observation: One of the best-known experiments in the history of
psychology involved a doll named Bobo. Bandura demonstrated that children learn and
imitate behaviors they have observed in other people.The children in Bandura‘s studies
observed an adult acting violently toward a Bobo doll. When the children were later allowed
to play in a room with the Bobo doll, they began to imitate the aggressive actions they had
previously observed.
Bandura identified three basic models of observational learning:
 A live model, which involves an actual individual demonstrating or acting out a
behavior.
 A symbolic model, which involves real or fictional characters displaying behaviors in
books, films, television programs, or online media.
 A verbal instructional model, which involves descriptions and explanations of a
behavior.
 Mental States Are Important to Learning: Bandura noted that external, environmental
reinforcement was not the only factor to influence learning and behavior. And he
realized that reinforcement does not always come from outside sources.1Your own

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 mental state and motivation play an important role in determining whether a behavior
is learned or not.
 Learning Does Not Necessarily Lead to Change So how do we determine when
something has been learned? In many cases, learning can be seen immediately when
the new behavior is displayed. When you teach a child to ride a bicycle, you can
quickly determine if learning has occurred by having the child ride his or her bike
unassisted.
Key Factors:
 Attention: In order to learn, you need to be paying attention. Anything that distracts
your attention is going to have a negative effect on observational learning. If the
model is interesting or there is a novel aspect of the situation, you are far more likely
to dedicate your full attention to learning.
 Retention: The ability to store information is also an important part of the learning
process. Retention can be affected by a number of factors, but the ability to pull up
information later and act on it is vital to observational learning.
 Reproduction: Once you have paid attention to the model and retained the
information, it is time to actually perform the behavior you observed. Further practice
of the learned behavior leads to improvement and skill advancement.
 Motivation: Finally, in order for observational learning to be successful, you have to
be motivated to imitate the behavior that has been modeled. Reinforcement and
punishment play an important role in motivation.

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