September 10, 2018 Organizational Behaviour Discussion Post 2

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Many of the tasks that I perform daily are followed by a positive reinforcer, the adding of a stimulus to increase a behaviour, or a negative reinforcer, the removal of a stimulus to increase a behaviour. I will describe several examples of these daily tasks and note the reinforcers present that direct my behaviour. 
  • I get up at 7:30am and make my daughter a nice, balanced packed lunch for school. When I hand her the lunch bag, she smiles at me and says, "Thank you, Mommy." That positive reinforcement, the gratitude she expressed, makes me feel satisfied with the parental job I have done and encourages me to continue to pack thoughtful lunches for school. I think any parent can relate that oftentimes packing school lunches can be a burdensome chore and is oftentimes thankless, so even though it may seem like we have to do it (provide a meal for our kids,) we are not required to do it with thoughtfulness or care. We could simply slap together something quick. Since my daughter appreciates the effort I put in and enjoys her lunches, it motivates me to keep putting that care into her lunches each day.
  • While working in a restaurant, I was faced with the issue of having dull knives. I started using a knife sharpener, and that took away the dull edge. It was satisfactory to work with a sharper edge, and the behaviour followed by negative reinforcement -- sharpening the knife to remove the dull edge--increased my behaviour to sharpen them regularly. (Note: Perhaps this could be viewed as "adding a sharp edge" and be positive reinforcement, but in the culinary world it is viewed as "straightening the edge" which would translate to "removing the dull edge". How do we discern which perspective to take in these contexts?)
  • When I show up at work well-rested, I feel more ambitious, motivated and energetic, and I work more efficiently and effectively. Therefore, because I have higher job performance when I get a good night's sleep, my manager schedules me for better shifts. Getting better shifts is positive reinforcement. It encourages me to get a good night's sleep whenever I have work the next morning, and helps motivate that behaviour by offering me a better schedule. 
  • Sometimes I struggle with self-esteem issues, but life is so busy that I oftentimes cannot find time for myself. Self-care is very important but difficult to manage when you have a family to care for. Usually, I have green hair, but it is very high maintenance and I oftentimes slack off with upkeep. This makes me feel self-conscious about the way I look. When I take the time to myself to perform self-care, I dye my hair and that takes away the feelings of self-consciousness or insecurity. Therefore, the behaviour of prioritizing self-care (in my case, taking time to dye my hair) is reinforced with the removal of a stimulus (the feelings of self-consciousness,) exemplifying negative reinforcement.

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