Diploma thesis focuses on effect of positive reinforcement and it's application in the learning process. The thesis is divided into two parts - theoretical and analytical. Theoretical part describes importance of positive reinforcement in a learning process and behavior overall. How organisms acquire new skills and how effective teaching methods look like. Analytical part provides practical use of positive reinforcement in an effective teaching method called Discrete Trial Teaching. It's application, use, and correct implementation is provided through an example of teaching a motor imitation behavior. KEYWORDS Applied Behavior Analysis; Effective teaching methods; Positive Reinforcement; Principles of learning and behavior; Discrete Trial Teaching

Socialsekreterare inom barn och unga är en yrkesgrupp där det förekommer hög arbetsbelastning och stressrelaterade sjukskrivningar. Det framkommer i socialtjänstlagen att myndighetsutövningen inom socialtjänsten ska ske skyndsamt, vilket ställer krav på att socialsekreterare har en hög arbetsprestation. Syftet med studien var att undersöka ledarskap i socialtjänsten och dess påverkan på arbetsprestationen hos socialsekreterare utifrån en tematisk analys. Det resultat som framkom kring ledarskapet är att socialsekreterare och chefer inom barn och unga beskriver de positiva egenskaper hos chefen kopplade till det tillitsbaserade ledarskapet och tillitsbaserad styrning. Tillit, tydlighet och lyhördhet framkommer som de mest betydande egenskaper för ett bra ledarskap. Arbetsprestation har definierats utifrån uppgiftprestation, kontextuell prestation och kontraproduktiva beteenden. Positiv stress anses var den främsta faktorn som bidrar till en hög arbetsprestation enligt socialsekreterarna. Vidare visar resultatet att det kollegiala stödet och trivsel i arbetsgruppen påverkar socialsekreterarnas arbetsprestation och att chefen påverkar de aspekter indirekt i sitt ledarskap. Chefens direkta påverkan synliggörs i socialsekretarens arbetsbelastning, hur chefen kommunicerar, ger feedback och att chefen är närvarande och möjliggör tid för sina medarbetare. / Social workers for children and young people are a professional group where there is a high workload and stress-related sick leave. It is stated in the Social Services Act that the exercise of authority in social services should be done promptly, which requires that social workers have a high work performance. The purpose of the study was to examine leadership in social services and its impact on the work performance of social workers based on a thematic analysis. The result that emerged about leadership is that social workers and managers in children and young people describe the positive characteristics of the manager linked to trust-based leadership and trust-based management. Trust, clarity, and responsiveness emerge as the most significant characteristics for good leadership. Work performance has been defined in terms of task performance, contextual performance, and counterproductive behaviors. Positive stress is the main factor contributing to high job performance according to the social workers. Furthermore, the results show that the collegial support and well-being in the work group influence the social workers' job performance and that the manager influences these aspects indirectly in his leadership. The manager's direct influence is visible in the social worker's workload, how the manager communicates, gives feedback and that the manager is present and makes time for his or her employees.