Which of the following best describes what the behavioral management viewpoint emphasized?

• A. The influence of genetic inheritance on workplace performance
• B. The use of reinforcement and punishment to shape employee behavior
• C. The role of self-actualization and personal growth in the workplace
• D. The importance of unconscious motives in influencing actions

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand that the behavioral management viewpoint in psychology focuses on observable behaviors and how they can be influenced or modified.
2. Step 2: Recognize that this viewpoint emphasizes the use of learning principles, particularly reinforcement and punishment, to shape behavior in a workplace or organizational setting.
3. Step 3: Differentiate this from other perspectives such as genetic inheritance (which relates to biological influences), self-actualization (which relates to humanistic psychology), and unconscious motives (which relate to psychoanalytic theory).
4. Step 4: Identify that the behavioral management viewpoint specifically highlights how external consequences (reinforcements and punishments) can increase or decrease the likelihood of certain employee behaviors.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the best description of the behavioral management viewpoint is its emphasis on using reinforcement and punishment to shape employee behavior.