Human Behaviour: Learning

5-1

What Is Learning?

Learning is a relatively
permanent change in human
capabilities that is not a result
of growth processes.
These capabilities are related
to specific learning
outcomes.
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Key Terms
Understanding the difference between objectives, outputs, and outcomes takes
time but when grasped, is a powerful way to cut through to what's behind a
particular request or desire. Once you can break it down to the outcome, it can
help you to come up with other ways to achieve the same result and give you
more flexibility in solving a particular problem.

The objective is what we are aiming to

achieve.
The output is what we actually deliver.
The outcome is what the business gains from
our output

Example

Learning Outcomes
Verbal information
Includes names or labels, facts, and bodies
of knowledge
Includes specialized knowledge employees
need in their jobs

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 Intellectual skills
Include concepts and rules
These are critical to solve problems, serve
customers, and create products

Learning Outcomes (continued)

Motor skills
Include coordination of physical movements

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 Attitudes
Combination of beliefs and feeling that predispose a person to behave a certain way
Important work-related attitudes include job
satisfaction, commitment to the organization, and
job involvement

Things to consider

 Cognitive strategies
Regulate the process of learning

Learning Theories
Reinforcement
Theory

Social Learning
Theory

Goal Theories

Need Theories

Expectancy Theory
Information
Processing Theory
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Adult Learning
Theory

Reinforcement Theory
Emphasizes that people are motivated to
perform or avoid certain behaviors because of
past outcomes that have resulted from those
behaviors.
Positive reinforcement
Negative Reinforcement
Extinction
Punishment
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Reinforcement Theory (continued)

From a training perspective, it suggests that
for learners to acquire knowledge, change
behavior, or modify skills, the trainer needs to
identify what outcomes the learner finds most
positive and negative.
Trainers then need to link these outcomes to
learners acquiring knowledge, skills, or
changing behaviors.
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Social Learning Theory

Emphasizes that people learn by observing
other persons (models) whom they believe
are credible and knowledgeable.
Recognizes that behavior that is reinforced
or rewarded tends to be repeated.
The models behavior or skill that is
rewarded is adopted by the observer.
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Social Learning Theory (continued)

Learning new skills or behavior comes from:
directly experiencing the consequences of
using behavior or skills, or
the process of observing others and seeing
the consequences of their behavior

Learning is also influenced by a persons

self-efficacy.
Self-efficacy is a persons judgment about
whether he/she can successfully learn
knowledge and skills.
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ALBERT BANDURA
SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY

Biography
He was born on December 4, 1925 in Mundare, Alberta,
California.
At the age of 24, he received his BA from the University of
British Columbia in 1949.
He earned his MA in 1951 at the age of 26 and his PH.D. in
1955 at the age of 30 from the University of Iowa.
After receiving his doctorate, he served as clinical intern at
the Wichita Guidance Center for 1 year.
He was then appointed to the Department of Psychology at
the Stanford University.

THE THEORY
SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY
- imitating what a child sees and hears and
acquiring the manner of speaking and doing similar
acts observed from the model.
- this is also known as OBSERVATIONAL LEARNING

The EXPERIMENT
BOBO DOLL EXPERIMENT
Bandura gathered 4-6 years old nursery children watch a 5-minute
televised movie which showed an adult, the model for imitative learning,
exhibiting 4 types of behavior towards an adult size plastic Bobo doll, each
response accompanied by distinct verbalization. The model laid the Bobo
doll on its side, sat on it and punched it on the nose while remarking,
pow right in the nose,boom,boom. the model kicked the doll about the
room and these responses were interrupted with the comment, Fly
away. Finally, the model threw rubber balls at the Bobo doll each stroke
punctuated with a bang.

The experiment

What did the experiment reveal?

Reinforcing consequences to the model significantly
increased the number of matching responses that
the children spontaneously reproduced.
Boys performed more imitative responses than girls.
Girls were more influenced by the rewarding
consequences to the model.
The introduction of positive incentives showed an
equivalent amount of learning for the children in 3
groups.

FOUR-STEP MODEL

1.
2.
3.
4.

Attention or Acquisition Processes

Retention Processes
Behavior Production Processes
Reinforcement and Motivational Processes

Processes of Social Learning Theory

Attention

Retention

Model Stimuli

Coding

Trainee
Characteristics

Organization
Rehearsal

Motor
Reproduction

Physical
Capability
Accuracy
Feedback

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Motivational
Processes

Reinforcement

Match
Modeled
Performance

THINGS THAT AFFECT IMITATION

1. Nature of the model
2. Learning may happen even without
practicing it.
3. No matter how well we learn, it will not
manifest if theres no social approval or
reinforcement.

EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS

Students learn by observing

Describe the consequences
Alternative to shaping
Model appropriate behavior
Exposure to variety of other models
Develop sense of self-efficiency
Set realistic expectation
Self regulation provides effective method for
improving student behavior.

Some Reflections on Learning

Goal Theories
Goal setting theory assumes behavior results
from a persons conscious goals and intentions.
Goals influence behavior by directing energy and
attention, sustaining effort over time, and
motivating the person to develop strategies for
goal attainment.
Research suggests that specific challenging goals
have been shown to lead to high performance
only if people are committed to the goal.
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Goal Theories (continued)

Goal setting theory is used in training
program design.
It suggests that learning can be facilitated
by providing trainees with specific
challenging goals and objectives.
The influence of goal setting theory can be
seen in the development of training lesson
plans.
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How it Works!

Need Theories
Need theories help explain the value that a
person places on certain outcomes.
Need theories suggest that to motivate
learning:
trainers should identify trainees needs, and
communicate how training program content
relates to fulfilling these needs

If the basic needs of trainees are not met, they

are unlikely to be motivated to learn.
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Expectancy Theory
Expectancy theory suggests that a persons
behavior is based on three factors:
Expectancy
Instrumentality
Valance

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Expectancy Theory (continued)

Expectancy theory suggests that learning is
most likely to occur when employees
believe:
They can learn the content of the program
(expectancy)
Learning is linked to outcomes such as
better job performance, a salary increase,
or peer recognition (instrumentality)
Employees value these outcomes
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Expectancy Theory of Motivation

Expectancy
Effort
Performance
Does Trainee Have
Ability to Learn?
Does Trainee Believe
He Can Learn?

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Valance

Instrumentality

X
Performance
Outcome
Does Trainee Believe
Training Outcomes
Promised Will Be
Delivered?

Value of Outcome

Are Outcomes Related

to Training Valued?

= Effort

Adult Learning Theory

Adult learning theory was developed out of a need
for a specific theory of how adults learn.
It is based on several assumptions:
Adults have the need to know why they are learning
something.
Adults have a need to be self-directed.
Adults bring more work-related experiences into the
learning situation.
Adults enter into a learning experience with a problemcentered approach to learning.
Adults are motivated to learn by both extrinsic and intrinsic
motivators.
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4 - 64

Implications of Adult Learning Theory:

Design Issue

Implications

Self concept

Mutual planning and collaboration in instruction

Experience

Use learner experience as basis for examples and

applications

Readiness

Develop instruction based on learners interests and

competencies

Time perspective

Immediate application of content

Orientation to
learning

Problem centered instead of subject centered

Information Processing Theory

These theories give more emphasis to the
internal processes that occur when training
content is learned and retained.
This information can come from another person
or the learners own observation of the results
of his action.
If the evaluation of the response is positive, this
provides reinforcement that the behavior is
desirable to be stored in long-term memory for
use in similar situations.
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The Learning Process

This material asks three questions:
What are the physical and mental processes
involved in learning?
How does learning occur?
Do trainees have different learning styles?

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Analogy

Implications of the Learning Process for

Instruction:
Employees need to know why they should
learn.
Employees need meaningful training content.
Employees need opportunities to practice.
Employees need to commit training content to
memory.

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Implications of the Learning Process for

Instruction: (continued)
Employees need feedback.
Employees learn through:
Observation
Experience
Interacting with others

Employees need the training program to be

properly coordinated and arranged.

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Training Objectives
Employees learn best when they understand
the objective of the training program.
The objective refers to the purpose and
expected outcome of training activities.
Training objectives based on the training
needs analysis help employees understand
why they need the training.
Objectives are useful for identifying the types
of training outcomes that should be measured
to evaluate a training programs effectiveness.
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A training objective has three

components:
A statement of what the employee is expected
to do (performance or outcome).
A statement of the quality or level of
performance that is acceptable (criterion).
A statement of the conditions under which the
trainee is expected to perform the desired
outcome (conditions).

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Training administration involves:

Communicating courses and programs to
employees
Enrolling employees in courses and programs
Preparing and processing any pre-training
materials such as readings or tests
Preparing materials that will be used in
instruction
Arranging for the training facility and room
Testing equipment that will be used in instruction
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Training administration involves: (continued)

Having backup equipment should equipment
fail
Providing support during instruction
Distributing evaluation materials
Facilitating communications between trainer
and trainees during and after training
Recording course completion in the trainees
records or personnel files
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How Trainers Can Make the Training Site and

Instruction Conducive to Learning:
Creating A Learning
Setting

Preparation

Classroom
Management

Engaging Trainees
Managing Group
Dynamics
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Program Design

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