Re: Reinforcing/Balancing in Humans LO546

Mariann Jelinek (mxjeli@dogwood.tyler.wm.edu)
Sun, 26 Mar 1995 21:33:38 -0500

Replying to LO527 --

Rick's post on reinforcing processes caught my fancy. IMHO there's
genuine benefit to reversing our usual [Growth = good, faster, more &
Balance = bad, slower, less] mental models - especially since they're
usually mindlessly applied! Still, though, I found myself thinking about
my recent experiences with exercise. I've been physically active all my
life, so I'm no couch potato! But I'm now of an age where if I do NOT get
my 40 min. a day of Nordic Trak (or pumping iron, running, bicycling, or
whatever is on), I REALLY notice the difference: the body craves the
action . a positive reinforcement for what my physician says is good for
the body (& I can testify it's good for the emotions, the interpersonal
relations, workplace achievement and a few other things as well).
Participation in organizations, leading to a sense of ownership
and personal responsibility among employees seems like another example.
Openness, in sharing concerns and desires in organizational settings too,
perhaps? Maybe we need a notion of reinforcement that doesn't require
pushing to extremes, since in my examples certainly it would be possible
to get "too much of a good thing"?
What do others think of this?

Sam

MXJELI@MAIL.WM.EDU
Mariann Jelinek
Richard C. Kraemer Professor of Business
Graduate School of Business,
College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA 23185

Tel. (804) 221-2882 FAX: (804) 229-6135