Reinforcement Theory Presentation

Initially developed by the North American psychologist Burrhus Frederic Skinner (considered as one of the fathers of behavioral psychology), the Reinforcement Theory, concludes that the actions with positive consequences about the individual that practices them tend to be repeated in the future, while the behavior that is punished tends to be eliminated. Consequences are positive whenever people feel pleasure with their own performance. From here results the significance of information about the organization as motivation factor, especially the referent to areas in which the person is involved.

According to the Reinforcement Theory, people’s behavior can be influenced and controlled through the reinforcement (reward) of the desired behaviors and ignoring the undesired actions (the punishment of the undesired behavior should be avoided in order that such would contribute for the development of embarrassment feelings or even rebellion). Skinner even defends that people’s behavior can be controlled and informed for long periods of time without that these understand that, inclusively feeling free.

A technique defended by Skinner is the organizational behavior modification which consists in the Reinforcement Theory application to the efforts for change in the organizations and relies in two basic principles: first people act the way that they believe to be more gratifying and worthwhile; second, behavior can be influenced and determined by management of the rewards associated to it. 

 

 

Translated from Portuguese by Susana Saraiva, Portuguese-English and English-Portuguese translation specialist. Contact: spams@sapo.pt.