Behavioral Psychology vs Cognitive Psychology - Assignment Example

1. Behavioural psychology is a perspective that argues that what we learn are chains of muscle movement while on the other hand cognitive psychology is a perspective that argues that what we learn are mental structures (Hucznski & Buchanan 2007). Against the background of this assertion, this essay seeks to critically evaluate the influence of these approaches to learning as well as explore the extent to which they are complementary though they appear to contradict each other. Thus, it is imperative to begin by explaining the meaning of each perspective as a way of gaining a clear understanding of the similarities and differences between them. Behavioural psychology perspective posits that human behaviour can be explained in terms of external stimuli, responses, learned histories and reinforcement which means that all human behaviour could therefore be understood in terms of cause and effect (Eloff & Ebersohn 2004). In this regard, muscle movement can be categorized as action in response to external factors. The proponents of this theory were particularly interested in developing laws of behaviour like the laws of natural science which were based on: establishing connections between stimuli and certain kinds of behaviour responses, finding the mechanisms for reinforcing certain kinds of connections by rewarding patterns of action in various ways and the assumption that behaviour and not “cognition” is significant, because it is measurable, observed, and can be controlled experimentally. On the other hand, cognitive psychology is a perspective that argues that what we learn are mental structures. Thus, according to this view, problem solving among other issues is caused by the integration of personal traits such as motivation, the learner’s ambitions, their cognitive strategies and the extent to which they implement them during the process of solving the problems (Vygotsky 1978). It follows from this argument that any individual person is aware of the reason why he is learning. In an organisation, it is generally agreed that every individual is there for a particular purpose since he would have personally applied for that particular job. Given that case, it can be noted that individuals in an organisation are motivated to pursue their career through learning which can be attributed to the fact that they are aware of their personal ambitions. It can as well be noted that learning is not solely a product of social development but a product of integrated personality traits which motivates the person to acquire more knowledge on any particular subject. Thus, according to Knowles (1998), the science of educating adults is premised on six main assumptions that should be taken into account when working with adults which include the following: adults need to know the benefits of learning something before they learn it, adults are autonomous, adults have experience, adults are ready to learn what they need to know, adults need to be able to relate what they are learning to their lives and motivation is very important. These elements certainly influence the behaviour of the adults in many ways and some of the assumptions are going to be discussed below to illustrate the extent to which these perspectives are complementary to each other with regards to the learning process. In an organisational environment, it can be noted that there is a correlation between behavioral psychology and cognitive psychology with regards to organisational learning. The learner in this particular case is exposed to a system that can be used during the learning process in an organisation. First and fore most, it has to be assumed that an employee who on the other hand is also a learner in an organisation is aware of the reason why he is part of the organisation and learning hence, a close analysis of the two perspectives in question shows that there are likely chances of a positive inclination to the organisation by all parties involved which influences behaviour change. Thus, an external stimulus to behaviour is seen where a learner is made aware of the existence of the benefits of learning in an organisation while at the same time he is using his own mind to respond to the call of learning. Theoretically, it can be argued that human behaviour is to a larger extent influenced by both external as well as mental factors which can be beneficial especially to the learner in this particular case. In both cases, it can be argued that a learner who is an employee in an organisation can immensely benefit from the assistance given by the leader and this view is widely respected and accepted. According to Vygotsky (1986), this is widely regarded as scaffolding where the employees are assisted by coaches or mentors in a learning organisation. His views on scaffolding which is regarded as the assistance that allows the learners to complete tasks that they are not able to complete independently (Eggen &Kauchak 1994), posits to the effect that learning is carefully designed in such a way that it stimulates development. In both perspectives, it can be seen that behaviour of the members of the organisation is likely to change as a result of the fact that they may be motivated to learn as a result of the benefits that are likely to be enjoyed after the successful completion of their training. Indeed, external factors play a vital role in influencing behaviour change in an organisation as suggested by the behavioural psychology perspective. However, the cognitive psychology perspective posits to the effect that behaviour change towards learning is a result of personal traits influenced by the mind of an individual. A close analysis of these two perspectives however, shows that they are complementary though they appear to contradict each other. 2. The concept of learning organisation was popularized by Peter Senge (1990) who described it as, “organisations where people continually expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire, where new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured, where collective aspiration is set free and where people continually learn how to learn together,” (cited in Robbins et al 2003). According to this definition, learning is no longer restricted to individual experience but has become teamwork which requires new and innovative ways of learning and managing performance improvement. It can thus be seen that exchange of information is central to the process of learning organisation where it should be encouraged and nurtured for positive results in improving performance. In this case, Senge’s learning disciplines include the following: systems thinking, personal mastery, mental models, building shared vision and team learning. Senge’s learning disciplines can be applicable to the organisation in various ways as going to be highlighted. The systems thinking which is widely regarded as the cornerstone of the learning organisation posits that the manager ought to view an organisation as a complete entity which is dynamic and should focus on long term plans of the organisation. As a manager, the systems thinking should be geared towards the long term view where all the delays in feedback as well as loops are taken into consideration for the benefit of the organisation in the long run. Personal mastery is another discipline by Senge that can be utilized by the manager to encourage learning in an organisation. This discipline is primarily concerned with encouraging people to focus their energies, see reality, clarify and deepen their vision about the organisation. This usually goes beyond competence and skills and the manager in this case must give the workers the autonomy to think further on their own on behalf of the organisation. On the other hand, the mental models imply that people have deeply ingrained assumptions, generalizations as well as images about how they understand the world and take action. In order for an organisation to develop the capacity to work with the people, there is need for the manager to give people the opportunity to learn new skills and develop new orientations that are supportable to foster change. The shared vision discipline states that managers can inspire learning in an organisation through creating an environment where the vision of the organisation is shared among all the members and they can as well contribute towards the creation of that vision. On the other hand, team learning builds from the personal mastery discipline. A manager should support an environment that promotes teamwork where the members can share their ideas for the benefit of the organisation. However, noble as Senge’s learning disciplines may sound, application of some of the disciplines can be problematic. For instance, the systems thinking requires the all the members of that particular organisation to coexist as a single entity. This calls for concerted efforts and can be resolved using the socialization technique. In this case, socialization refers to the way people relate to each other in an organisation or society at large. People in an organisation for instance come to know their norms and values through the way they relate to their peers within that particular organisation. Thus, socialization posits that individuals are quick to learn through interaction. Through his cognitive learning theory, Vygotsky (1962, 1968) believes that social growth is caused mainly by social interaction. Psychologically, an individual can use his mind to learn something with the aim of changing behaviour towards something while external factors can as well play a pivotal role in influencing the behaviour of somebody. In this way development is meant to improve the welfare of an identified target group which share common values and norms. Knowledge is relative in most cases and the culture of an organisation constitutes the individual’s symbolic world to which meaning and sense are ascribed during the learning process. In order to solve the problems likely to be encountered while implementing the systems thinking, teamwork in an organisation can be promoted. The process of team formation is influenced by different factors. Basically, the process begins by identifying multiple skills among the workers who can play a vital role in ensuring meaningful contribution towards work. Thus, according to Robbins et al (2001), teamwork is a process where individuals participate collectively, work together towards the attainment of certain goals as well as objectives within a given organisation. Real learning which forms the basis of teamwork takes place in teams where team members learn from each other, learn from their achievements and mistakes, and continuously learn to optimise their efforts and contribution towards the achievement of organisational goals. From this assertion, it can be noted that the underlying principle towards the success of teamwork is sharing of ideas and the willingness to learn from other team members among the team. The way people are socialized, that is the way they relate in an organisation fosters teamwork. It can also be challenging to implement these models which include personal mastery, mental model as well as team learning. These imply that people have to use their minds to contribute meaningfully towards the sharing of knowledge in an organisation. In order to apply the socialization technique in resolving the problems related to these disciplines, a leader must take a leading role in creating an organisational structure that fosters interaction among the workers. An organisational structure defines how job tasks are formally divided, grouped and coordinated (Robbins et al 2001). Whilst there are different types of organisational structures, a flat structure with decentralised features is likely to be more effective and ideal in the case of implementing learning models that are likely to affect its operations. In a decentralized organisation, action can be taken more quickly to solve problems and more people would provide input to decision making and the employees are likely to feel less alienated from those who make decisions that affect their daily operations at work. Adaptive organisational forms which emphasize the flexibility to adapt to change can enhance better performance while bureaucratic structures will inhibit it (Kleynhans 2007). There ought to be open channels of communication where there is free flow of information and the employees should take a role in contributing towards decision making as a way of creating a sense of belongingness. The system to be employed ought to be accommodative to a diverse range of cultures in that distinguish people across the globe from one another. In their quest to gain knowledge, members of the organisation ought to engage in collective learning that creates norms, shared assumptions and beliefs that become organisational culture. An organizational culture is created by the members who learn and gain experience of doing things from those around them in a given situation. To enhance an organisation’s cohesion, it is imperative to create a culture that promotes innovative ways of identifying a problem and finding a solution (Locke and Kirkpatrick, 1995). Thus, open communication between members of that particular organisation should be built on the basis of creating mutual trust and an atmosphere of respect. Thus, learning can be effective where organisational culture can integrate with individual’s values, perceptions and capabilities in the workplace. Over and above, it can be concluded that learning in an organisation is greatly influenced by how people relate and interact and communication plays a vital role in achieving this feat. Therefore, an attempt should be made in order to put structures in place that clearly define the communication channels and they should be open. Communication is very important in an organisation and there should be a two way communication channel where there is feedback from both ends. Without feedback, it would be difficult for both the management and other employees to understand each other. In some cases, lack of information would tend to complicate otherwise simple situations which would hamper learning in an organisation. References Eggen, P & Kauchak, D (1994). Educational Psychology. Classroom connections. New York McMillan Eloff I. Ebersohn L. (2004)., Keys To Educational Psychology, UCT. Cape Town. Fox W. (2006). Managing organisational Behavior .JUTA. Cape Town. Jackson et al (2001), Management, Oxford University Press Kleynhans R. et al (2007), Human Resource Management: fresh perspectives, Prentice Hall SA Knowles M. S., Holton III E.F. and Swanson R.A. (1998) The Adult Learner (5th Edition) Houston: Gulf Publishing Locke, E. A. and Kirkpatrick, S. A., (1995). Promoting creativity in organizations. London. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications. Peter Senge and the learning organisation (n.d). 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