Question

Now consider another theory on motivation: reinforcement theory. suppose your employer is becoming increasingly concerned with the number of employees that arrive late for their shifts. your manager announces that they will give $1,000 to every employee who arrives on time for their shift for five days in a row. your manager also says that they will deduct $20 from every employee’s paycheck for every day they are late to their shift. the deduction of $20 would be considered a _____.

Answer 1

The $20 deduction from an employee's paycheck for lateness is considered a punishment in reinforcement theory, intended to decrease the occurrence of that behavior.

Step-by-step explanation:

The deduction of $20 from an employee’s paycheck for every day they are late would be considered a form of punishment within the reinforcement theory framework. According to reinforcement theory, behavior can be influenced by administering consequences for certain actions. In a work environment, employers can use positive and negative reinforcements to encourage desired behaviors and deter undesired ones.

In this scenario, the manager offers positive reinforcement in the form of a $1,000 incentive for consistent punctuality, which is designed to increase the likelihood that employees will arrive on time. On the contrary, the $20 deduction serves as a negative reinforcement or punishment by applying an undesirable outcome to decrease the likelihood of the behavior (arriving late) being repeated. This theory aligns with efficiency wage theory, which suggests that better pay can lead to increased productivity because employees have more to lose if they fall short in performance.