Questions: Beverly is a manager at a software company. Her team has been working hard on a new product launch, and she is confident that it will be a success. However, she notices that one of her team members, Alice, has been less motivated than usual lately. Alice has been missing deadlines and making careless mistakes. Beverly wants to use operant theory to motivate Alice to improve her performance. What is the best thing to do? a.) She should offer Alice a paid day off if she meets her next deadline. b.) She should give Alice less challenging work to do. c.) She should criticize Alice in front of the team for her recent mistakes. d.) She should ignore Alice's behavior and hope that she improves on her own.

The answer is a.) She should offer Alice a paid day off if she meets her next deadline.

Operant theory, developed by B.F. Skinner, is based on the idea that behavior can be shaped by reinforcement or punishment. The goal is to increase desirable behaviors and decrease undesirable ones through the use of consequences.

This option aligns with the principles of positive reinforcement, a key component of operant theory. By offering a reward (a paid day off) for meeting a deadline, Beverly is providing a positive consequence that can motivate Alice to improve her performance. Positive reinforcement is generally effective in encouraging desired behaviors.

This option might not effectively address the issue. While it could reduce Alice's stress, it doesn't directly motivate her to improve her performance or meet deadlines. It might also lead to decreased job satisfaction if Alice feels underutilized.

This option involves negative reinforcement or punishment, which can have adverse effects. Public criticism can lead to embarrassment, decreased morale, and further demotivation, potentially worsening Alice's performance and affecting team dynamics.

Ignoring the behavior does not provide any reinforcement or consequence, which is unlikely to lead to improvement. Without addressing the issue, Alice may continue to miss deadlines and make mistakes, as there is no motivation to change her behavior.