Answer to Question #188123 in Management for Neha Bhagate

Question

What is reinforcement theory ? Explain in detail?

Answer 1

Reinforcement theory refers to a psychological principle statin that behaviours are shaped based on consequences and that accordingly, individual behaviours can be changed through rewards and punishments.

The reinforcement theory of motivation aims at achieving the desired level of motivation among the employees by means of reinforcement, punishment and extinction.

 The reinforcement approach, which can be both positive and negative, is used to reinforce the desired behaviour. The reinforcement theory is commonly applied in IT and business areas including; marketing, social media, Human resource management and business management.

Positive reinforcements involve the use of rewards to reinforce behaviors. Intermittent reinforcement, which involves the delivery of rewards on an occasional and unpredictable basis, tends to promote the continued efforts of a subject for longer periods without a payoff. Negative reinforcement involves the removal of aversive stimuli to reinforce the target behavior. The use – and perhaps the ineffectiveness -- of negative reinforcement is illustrated by the common HR-related joke, “The beatings will continue until morale improves.”

Reinforcement theory has three primary mechanisms behind it: selective exposure, selective perception, and selective retention.