INTRODUCTION

Psychology is a broad discipline which encompasses areas such as medical,

business, education, politics, economics, sociology, sports and so on (Feldman,
2011). Hence, the subfields of Psychology include clinical, health, counseling,
educational, developmental, forensic,industrial or organizational, school and
more recently businesspsychology. The application of Psychology to business
has been described as a recent development (Wasylyshyn, 2001; Autumn
consulting, 2013). This view was also reiterated by Weaver (2013) who said that
“psychology, along with medicine and other ‘health’related occupations, has
traditionally (since the end of World War II)been focused on disease and
disorder” . Therefore, it is not surprising that most people are yet to grasp the
reason for the application of psychological principles in other fields or in all fields
of human endeavor. Often, the first shocker that a Psychology teacher receives
from students of Business Education is the question as to why they have to take a
course in psychology. In other words, Bachelor of Business Education students
may not easily see the relevance of Psychology courses to their profession.

For many decades, psychological theory in business education was largely limited
to understanding organizational behavior, consumer behavior, and human
resource management. Today, all that has changed. The emergence of e-
commerce, informatics, healthcare management, environmental business policy,
and wealth management as critical twentyfirst-century issues requires that
contemporary business curricula apply and integrate psychological theory to
these domains. Two particular areas of curriculum development — financial
psychology and cyber psychology — serve as examples of the crucial need to
integrate psychology with business in today’s education.

Further more, The definition of the subject ‘Psychology’ often confounds the
problems for the students. It has been defined by the American psychological
Association (APA, 2013,) that: Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior.
The discipline races all aspects of the human experience - from the functions
ofthe brain to the actions of nations, from child development to care forthe aged.
In every conceivable setting from scientific research centersto mental health care
services, “the understanding of behavior” is theenterprise of psychologists.The
above definition by APA shows the fluidity and vastness of thescope of Psychology
spanning all areas of living where human behavioris involved. Thus, Business
Education students should see the subject in this light. Unfortunately, it seems
that most students and some teachers of the subject see it from the perspective
of one of the requirements to get a degree and nothing more.

Hence, The vastness of the content of the Introductory Psychology course for
Business Education students is another factor that tends to inhibit the
perceptionof the students on the relevance of the subject to business
management. The course content covers such topics as: definition and goals of
psychology; research methods in psychology; theories of human development;
classical and operant conditioning; cognitiveand observational learning; sensation
and perception; memory;motivation and emotion; stress, health and coping;
personality;intelligence and its assessment; attitudes, social influence and
groupbehavior; and, leadership styles and job satisfaction. Given suchbroad
range of topics in a course outline, some students may noteasily grasp the face
validity of some of them to business Education. Consequently, it becomes a
more herculean task for the teacher to sustain their interest in the subject and
attain the goalsof the course by relating such seemingly irrelevant course content
to the practical realities of the business world. An insight into how the students
perceive such course contents in relation to theirprospective profession will
help the teacher of psychology to devise pedagogical strategies for more effective
delivery of the course contentto the students.

What is the psychology of learning?

The psychology of learning is a field of science that encompasses theories about

how psychology relates to the ways people learn. Scientists have created many
theories about learning based on different disciplines, including:

 Behaviorism
 Neuroscience
 Social cognition
 Social constructivism
Although it has a long history of theory development, the field offers modern
applications. Recent research has focused on how students learn, both in and out
of the classroom,to develop new approaches to teaching, testing and homework
and increase student motivation and engagement.

Behavioral learning theory?

Behavioral learning theory, the first and most prominent perspective of the
psychology of learning, is a concept that focuses on how observable events in a
person's external environment impact how they learn new behaviors. Early
behaviorists looked for an alternative to relying on internal feelings and memories
to describe how and why people learn the way they do. They felt a measurable,
observable method would make studying the topic more approachable and
reliable. Psychologists continue to advance the theory, and some educators
implement behavioral learning techniques in the classroom to motivate students
and help them learn more effectively.

3 main types of behavioral learning

According to the behavioral learning theory, objective observation best suits

behavior. It usually involves the following concepts:

1. Classical conditioning
Classical conditioning describes the process of learning through association by
linking a stimulus to a response. Physiologist Ivan Pavlov discovered the concept
and studied it extensively. He first used a dog as his subject before later involving
children in his work. For example, Pavlov tested classical conditioning in his
famous experiments with dogs. Before training began, Pavlov established that the
dog salivated at the sight of food because it knew it was going to eat soon. He
then introduced a bell as a neutral stimulus. The dog made no connection
between the bell and the food. Pavlov conditioned the dog by ringing the bell and
then giving it food. Eventually, the dog understood that the ringing bell meant it
would receive food soon, so it salivated each time Pavlov rang the bell. Classical
conditioning comprises four elements:

Unconditioned stimulus: An unconditioned stimulus triggers a response naturally.

In Pavlov’s exercise, the food is an unconditioned stimulus because it caused the
dog to salivate.

Conditioned stimulus: A conditioned stimulus pairs with the unconditioned

stimulus to trigger the same response. For example, Pavlov used the bell as the
conditioned stimulus to cause the dog to salivate.

Unconditioned response: An unconditioned response occurs naturally as a

reaction to the unconditioned stimulus. For instance, the dog’s salivation to food
was natural because it did so with no prompting from Pavlov.

Conditioned response: A conditioned response, such as the dog’s salivation when

the bell rings, occurs when a previously neutral stimulus creates an automatic
response. Conditioned responses require training in classical conditioning.

2. Operant conditioning
The idea of operant conditioning was first studied by psychologist Edward
Thorndike and later expanded and developed by psychologist B.F. Skinner. The
theory states that the consequences of our previous actions determine how we
choose behaviors. If a person does something that leads to punishment, they're
less likely to repeat it. If their behavior results in an award, they're likely to do it
again. Because of its association between behaviors and consequences, operant
conditioning has two key concepts:

Reinforcement: Reinforcement learning refers to an event that increases the

frequency of the behavior that follows it. This can be negative or positive, as both
uses increase the behavior. Using reinforcement schedules, which define when
and how often operant conditioning occurs, researchers and educators can
determine how quickly and efficiently a person learns the new behavior. In
positive reinforcement situations, the person receives a reward for specific
behavior. In negative reinforcement situations, a person's behavior leads to the
removal of an adverse event.

The psychology of learning helps researchers, educators and employers

understand learning processes and how they work. Psychologists agree that
different methods of learning exist, and some people may find certain learning
methods easier than others. Differentiating between the approaches to learning
can help you understand how the environment can influence the way people
learn.

Although it has a long history of theory development, the field offers modern
applications. Recent research has focused on how students learn, both in and out
of the classroom,to develop new approaches to teaching, testing and homework
and increase student motivation and engagement.

What is behavioral learning theory?

Behavioral learning theory, the first and most prominent perspective of the
psychology of learning, is a concept that focuses on how observable events in a
person's external environment impact how they learn new behaviors. Early
behaviorists looked for an alternative to relying on internal feelings and memories
to describe how and why people learn the way they do. They felt a measurable,
observable method would make studying the topic more approachable and
reliable. Psychologists continue to advance the theory, and some educators
implement behavioral learning techniques in the classroom to motivate students
and help them learn more effectively.

3 main types of behavioral learning

According to the behavioral learning theory, objective observation best suits
behavior. It usually involves the following concepts:

1. Classical conditioning
Classical conditioning describes the process of learning through association by
linking a stimulus to a response. Physiologist Ivan Pavlov discovered the concept
and studied it extensively. He first used a dog as his subject before later involving
children in his work.

For example, Pavlov tested classical conditioning in his famous experiments with
dogs. Before training began, Pavlov established that the dog salivated at the sight
of food because it knew it was going to eat soon. He then introduced a bell as a
neutral stimulus. The dog made no connection between the bell and the food.
Pavlov conditioned the dog by ringing the bell and then giving it food. Eventually,
the dog understood that the ringing bell meant it would receive food soon, so it
salivated each time Pavlov rang the bell. Classical conditioning comprises four
elements:

Unconditioned stimulus: An unconditioned stimulus triggers a response naturally.

In Pavlov’s exercise, the food is an unconditioned stimulus because it caused the
dog to salivate.

Conditioned stimulus: A conditioned stimulus pairs with the unconditioned

stimulus to trigger the same response. For example, Pavlov used the bell as the
conditioned stimulus to cause the dog to salivate.

Unconditioned response: An unconditioned response occurs naturally as a

reaction to the unconditioned stimulus. For instance, the dog’s salivation to food
was natural because it did so with no prompting from Pavlov.

Conditioned response: A conditioned response, such as the dog’s salivation when

the bell rings, occurs when a previously neutral stimulus creates an automatic
response. Conditioned responses require training in classical conditioning.

2. Operant conditioning
The idea of operant conditioning was first studied by psychologist Edward
Thorndike and later expanded and developed by psychologist B.F. Skinner. The
theory states that the consequences of our previous actions determine how we
choose behaviors. If a person does something that leads to punishment, they're
less likely to repeat it. If their behavior results in an award, they're likely to do it
again. Because of its association between behaviors and consequences, operant
conditioning has two key concepts:

Reinforcement: These learning refers to an event that increases the frequency of

the behavior that follows it. This can be negative or positive, as both uses increase
the behavior. Using reinforcement schedules, which define when and how often
operant conditioning occurs, researchers and educators can determine how
quickly and efficiently a person learns the new behavior. In positive reinforcement
situations, the person receives a reward for specific behavior. In negative
reinforcement situations, a person's behavior leads to the removal of an adverse
event. Example: Suzie realizes that when she smiles at her baby, her baby smiles
back. She enjoys the consequence of her action, so she continues to do it. The
baby's smile is a positive reinforcer. Suzie also knows that when her baby needs a
diaper change, he cries. Suzie always changes the baby's diaper right away to stop
the crying. The baby's crying is a negative reinforcer.

Punishment: Punishment is the other key concept of operant conditioning. Both

positive and negative punishments impact behavior by decreasing the behavior
associated with its consequence. Positive punishment is something a person
receives that leads to a negative result, while a negative punishment involves
taking something away after an unfavorable behavior occurs. Example: If a
student forgets to study for a test and received a poor grade as a result, they are
likely to remember to study the next time they have a test. Because their
forgetfulness to study decreases, f they experience positive punishment. If the
student's parents take away their gaming console because of a poor test grade,
they experienced negative punishment, because the removal of something
favorable prevents the behavior from occurring again.

3. Observational learning
Observational learning occurs when a person learns a behavior by seeing others
do it. This method of learning shows that people can internalize information from
their external environments and develop new habits based on observations.
When a person watches the way other people react to an unfamiliar situation,
they typically respond to the event in the same way. These instances eliminate
the need for conditioning. Example: A student enrolls in a new school and notices
that the class's morning routine differs from the routine at their last school. They
familiarize themselves by watching what the other students do and following
along until the behaviors become habits. The student in this case changed their
behavior based on what they observed in their surroundings
 Business/ Business Education
Business is a field that does not require an advanced amount of education if being
conducted at the level of running a store or local enterprise of some variety. With
a little bit of math knowledge as well as experience, many people can run a small
operation that would sustain a livelihood. Once a business grows outside of a
mom-and-pop style of operation, the business starts to become more complex,
with different departments required to handle various aspects of business
operations with more precision. The need for people with more advanced
knowledge in specific sectors of business is what prompts the need for specific
business education.

A business education program involves training students in topics relevant to the

business world such as accounting and marketing. However, in the 21st century, it
also involves training students in softer skills such as leadership. With the increase
of globalization, most companies now face competition from around the world
and not just from other businesses in their own communities.

Globalization is the process of creating a global economy where goods, services,

and workers flow freely across country borders. Today's students must be
equipped to handle the changes introduced by participating in a global
marketplace. In addition, consumers encounter business activity on a daily basis
whether they're shopping for groceries, going to the bank, working at their jobs,
or planning a vacation. Business education programs need to prepare students for
these interactions. Let's examine some objectives that a business education
program should address.

PSYCHOLOGY IN BUSINESS
The importance of psychology in business is difficult to overstate. Because directly
or indirectly, it can be used to help improve virtually every aspect of doing
business. That might include making a better workplace, more productive
employees, or better products. Psychology is essentially the science of
understanding the way people think and behave, and business thrives on an
understanding of people.

There are quite a few major branches within psychology; developmental,

educational, counseling, cognitive, clinical, social, health, forensic, and others.
Though some are not directly related to business psychology, others can
nevertheless play an important role in the various ways psychology and business
can be combined.

For example, social psychology involves studying behavior and cognition within a
social context; how people think, feel, and behave when they believe they are
being perceived by others. If you wanted to build a more successful advertising
campaign based on social status or peer pressure, then you’d want to start by
understanding the importance of social psychology in business.

There are also more explicit ways of mixing business and psychology. For
instance, marketing psychology or the psychology of business communication.
Together, these subfields can be gathered under the single umbrella term of
business psychology – which is about turning knowledge of human nature into
better business practices. But how else might psychology and business overlap?

PSYCHOLOGY IN BUSINESS/ BUSINESS EDUCATION

Business is a field that does not require an advanced amount of
education if being conducted at the level of running a store or local
enterprise of some variety. With a little bit of math knowledge as well
as experience, many people can run a small operation that would
sustain a livelihood. Once a business grows outside of a mom-and-pop
style of operation, the business starts to become more complex, with
different departments required to handle various aspects of business
operations with more precision. The need for people with more
advanced knowledge in specific sectors of business is what prompts the
need for specific business education.

PSYCHOLOGY IN THE BUSINESS WORLD

Outside of communication and marketing psychology, the next most direct

example of overlap between business and psychology is business and industrial
psychology: also known as Industrial Organization (I/O) psychology. Essentially,
this field basically involves studying psychology within the context of the
workplace.

For example, an I/O psychologist might look at ways to better assess

performance, determine training needs, find ways to more efficiently train staff or
motivate employees, or otherwise find ways to boost productivity and efficiency.
I/O psychology aims to examine and improve the individual relationships between
coworkers, between customers and businesses, and between the management
and the rest of the organization.

This requires a specialized set of knowledge related to career and organizational

development, group theory, decision theory, individual assessment, and so on.
The application of psychology in business management is particularly easy to
identify in this instance. Many of the skills improved by the insights of I/O
psychology are the same skills required for effective business administration.
Some of the more common psychology and business careers include positions
like: Market Research Analyst, Industrial Counselor, Corporate Consultant, Human
Factors Specialist, Recruitment & Training Specialist, Employee Retention
Consultant, I/O Psychologist, Sales Representative, and more. People who pursue
careers related to business psychology can end up in a wide range of different
fields; the possibilities largely depend on the way you decide to blend the
relationship between psychology and business administration.

THE ROLE OF PSYCHOLOGY IN BUSINESS - INSIGHT ON ORGANISATIONAL

BEHAVIOUR

Psychology plays a significant role in business management by providing insights

into human behavior, motivations, and decision-making processes. Understanding
the psychological factors that influence individuals and groups within an
organization can help managers effectively lead and motivate their teams, foster a
positive work environment, and drive performance and productivity. Here are
several key areas where psychology intersects with management:

Employee Motivation: Psychology helps managers understand what motivates

employees and how to create a motivating work environment. Theories such as
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory emphasize the
importance of fulfilling employees' needs and recognizing their achievements.
Managers can use this knowledge to design reward systems, provide meaningful
feedback, and create opportunities for growth and development. Managers can
apply principles of intrinsic motivation, such as autonomy, mastery, and purpose,
to engage employees. By providing opportunities for skill development, allowing
autonomy in decision-making, and aligning individual goals with the organization's
mission, managers can foster a motivated and engaged workforce.

Leadership styles: Psychology provides insights into different leadership styles

and their impact on employee behavior and performance. The Trait Theory
suggests that certain personality traits are associated with effective leadership,
while the Behavioral Theory focuses on leadership behaviors. Transformational
and servant leadership approaches emphasize inspiring and empowering
employees, while transactional leadership focuses on setting goals and rewarding
performance. Understanding these theories helps managers adapt their
leadership style to suit different situations and individuals. Transformational
leadership is an effective leadership style that inspires and motivates employees.
Managers can adopt this style by articulating a compelling vision, acting as role
models, providing mentorship, and encouraging employee growth and
development.

Communication and conflict resolution: Effective communication is essential for

successful management. Psychology helps managers understand the dynamics of
interpersonal communication, including verbal and nonverbal cues, active
listening, and empathy. It also provides tools for resolving conflicts, such as
understanding the sources of conflict, managing emotions, and facilitating
constructive dialogue. Psychological principles can enhance communication
strategies, reduce misunderstandings, and foster a positive work environment.

Decision making: Psychology sheds light on the cognitive biases and heuristics
that influence decision making. Managers can be prone to biases like
confirmation bias, overconfidence, and anchoring. By being aware of these biases,
managers can strive for more objective decision making. Additionally,
understanding individual and group decision-making processes helps managers
facilitate effective problem-solving and consensus-building within teams.
Managers can mitigate biases like confirmation bias by promoting diverse
perspectives and encouraging employees to challenge their own assumptions. By
creating a culture that values critical thinking and constructive dissent, managers
can foster more informed and rational decision-making.

Organizational Culture and Change Management: Psychology helps managers

understand the impact of organizational culture on employee behavior and
performance. By shaping the culture through shared values, norms, and practices,
managers can create a positive work environment that aligns with the
organization's goals. Moreover, psychology provides tools and strategies for
managing change effectively, considering factors such as resistance to change,
fear, and uncertainty. Applying the principles of positive psychology, managers
can create a culture that fosters resilience, well-being, and growth. For instance,
they can implement initiatives like recognition programs, work-life balance
policies, and mindfulness practices to create a positive and supportive work
environment.

Conclusion
The relevance of the psychology of learning to business education lies in the
understanding of how individuals acquire, retain, and apply knowledge within a
business context. By incorporating principles of psychology of learning into
business education, educators can optimize their teaching methods to better
engage and motivate students, improve information retention, and enhance
critical thinking and problem-solving skills. This understanding can also inform the
design of effective training programs, leadership development initiatives, and
organizational learning strategies within the business environment. Ultimately, by
integrating the psychology of learning into business education, individuals can be
better equipped to navigate complex and dynamic business environments.