Name and define each of the four reinforcement methods and provide an example of each.

Describe how research suggests an employee achieves procedural justice.

Research suggests the following ways to achieve procedural justice: provide employees advance notice, allow them a voice in decision making, provide explanations for all decisions, and above all be consistent in the manner in which you treat all employees.

131. According to expectancy theory, what are the three questions individuals ask themselves when evaluating a situation?

Will my effort lead to high performance?

Will performance lead to outcomes?

Do I find outcomes desirable?

132. Name two ways in which managers can influence employees’ expectancy perceptions.

If employees do not believe they have sufficient skills to handle a job, the manager could ensure they are trained.

If employees do not believe the effort leads to performance because of, for example, political behavior in the workplace, the manager must ensure that the tie between the two is clearly established.

Finally, many employees have low self-esteem or external loci of control that make them believe their effort will never make a difference.

133. Name two ways in which managers can influence employees’ instrumentality perceptions.

First, the connection between pay and performance must be made clear. Announcing the rewards such as bonuses and merit pay is a first step to this understanding.

The manager must also make it clear that performance, and only performance, is being rewarded.

134. Name two ways in which managers can influence employees’ valence perceptions.

First, the manager must make sure the rewards are attractive to employees. Therefore, the manager must know employees’ needs, wants and desires. Then the manager must follow up on the information on a regular basis to see if there have been changes. Finally, the manager must ensure that employees have some choice between rewards.

135. What does the phenomenon labeled, “the folly of rewarding A while hoping for B” mean?

The statement means that sometimes people are rewarded for the wrong kind of behavior. For example, a company can make public statements about its high quality products. Pressured to get products to the customers however, they often ship items that lack quality. Managers must be cognizant of the consequences of actions such as these.

136. Name and define each of the four reinforcement methods and provide an example of each.

Positive reinforcement is a method of increasing desired behaviors. An example of this would be to praise an employee for treating a customer nicely during a complaint call by that customer.

Negative reinforcement is also a method for increasing desired behaviors. Here removing unpleasant consequences cause the desired behavior to result. For example, teenagers often clean their rooms simply to have their parents quit nagging them about it.

Extinction is used to decrease the frequency of negative behaviors. When rewards are removed following negative behavior, persistent removal leads to cessation of the behavior. Employees who continually mock their co-workers cease the behavior when these comments are ignored.

Punishment is presenting negative consequences following unwanted behaviors. If you are repeatedly late for work, you could have a disciplinary suspension of three days brought against you.