Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Behavioral Theory
Behavioral Theory
Traits
Personal Evaluation
Theoretical Basis
Behaviorism
Focuses on the objective and observable components
of behavior that can be objectively and scientifically
measured.
Concerned with observable and measurable aspects of
human behavior, as opposed to internal events like
thinking and emotion.
Objectively and scientifically measured.
Idea that people have no free will. A persons
environment determines their behavior.
When born the mind is tabula rasa (blank slate).
Behavior is the result of stimulus-response.
conditioning.
Behavior changes the environment and those changes
can become consequences that affect future behavior.
Knowledge does not guide action, it is action.
Learning requires consistent representation of
material. Small progressive sequences of task.
Strengths
It is a well-proven theory.
Very observable and easily proven.
Teacher controlled and directed.
Effective approach for classroom discipline.
Punishment can be used to decrease inappropriate behavior.
Highly scientific and observable.
Cognitive/Psychological
Cognitive theories focus on internal states, such as
motivation, problem solving, decision-making,
thinking, and attention.
Thinking/Self-Talk
The ongoing internal conversation with ourselves,
which influence how we feel and behave.
Metacognition
Awareness and understanding of ones own thought
processes.
Weaknesses
No or little freewill.
The theory is limited to dealing with classroom behavior/discipline.
Feelings and emotions are not taken into account.
Studies on animals are not the same as humans.
Feelings/emotions are not taken into account.
School Setting
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) focuses on human problems (for
example, within educational learning and work related issues) (20th
Century)
Intense Behavioral Intervention (IBI) is an autism intervention
This theory is often limited to dealing with classroom
behavior/discipline.
Theorists and
relevant dates of
contributions
B.F. Skinner
He suggested that we should only look at the external,
observable causes of human behavior. He called this
approach Operant Conditioning (1938). Influenced by
Pavlovs Classical Conditioning.
Operant Conditioning deals with the modification of
voluntary behavior.
He believed it was not necessary to look at internal
thoughts and motivations in order to explain behavior.
The Skinner Box. Purpose of the study was to
examine the animal behavior in a very controlled
environment.
Reinforcing learning comes into prominence as a
method of instruction.
Focuses on the causes and consequences of an action
through positive reinforcement and punishment.
Believed that knowledge was a repertoire of behaviors.
Argues that it is not the case that we use knowledge to
guide our actions. Rather knowledge is action or at
least rules for action. It is s set of passive, largely
mechanical responses to environmental stimuli.
John Watson
He argued that psychology should be the science of observable
behavior.
Little Albert-experiment in 1920. Famous and controversial.
Conditioned a small child to fear a white rat. It was
accomplished by repeatedly paring the white rat with a loud
noise. This lead the child to dear other white furry animals.
Determined that fears are learned; not inherited.
Ivan Pavlov
Classical Conditioning. Pavlovs dogs.
Based on his research/observations he suggested that the
salivation was a learned response and association.
Classical Conditioning (1903) remains one of the most
important discoveries in psychology.
A reflexive form of learning where the stimulus gains the
Jean Piaget
Interested in the intellectual development of children.
He concluded that children are not less intelligent than adults,
they just think differently.
Piagets Stages of Cognitive Development.
Children progress through a series of four stages:
Sensorimotor (object permanence), preoperational (pretend
play), concrete operational, and formal operational.
Each stage is marked by shift in how children understand the
world.
Clark Hull
He believed that all behavior could be explained by
conditioning principles.
Drive Reduction Theory. Biological deprivation creates needs.
These needs activate drives which motivate behavior.
He was influenced by Darwin and believed the evolutionary
process had an impact on these drives and resulting behaviors.
Engineer to psychologist
Albert Bandura
Social Learning Theory (1977). Importance of observational
learning, imitation, and modeling. His theory integrates the
interaction of behaviors, cognition, and the environment
Famous experiment Bobo Doll Study (1961). Children
imitated a behavior (hitting and shouting at the doll) from
observation without incentives or encouragement
View of
Knowledge
Belief about
Learning
Teaching: How is
teaching done?
Transmission
Student will learn from lectures.
The programmer determines objectives, learning
opportunities, evaluation procedures.
Behaviorist favor the transmission of information
Presentation (Telling)
Focus on presentation and interaction
Teachers give lectures to teach students.
Weaknesses
It does not take into account other ways of learning.
Ex. Making connections and use of prior knowledge
cooperative learning and creative learning.
Ignores thought processes and emotions of students (their
ability to observe and categorize.
Little to no input from learners.
Demonstration
Mostly teacher-centered instruction (lectures,
tutorials, demonstrations).
More individual work than group learning.
Teacher clearly explains expectations and provides a
copy of the directions to an assignment. Everything is
laid out and clear.
Role of Teacher
Manager
Give lectures to teach students
Sets up highly structured lesson plans.
Assume all students have not proper knowledge, starts out
with a blank slate.
Take the role of a sage on the stage.
Role of Peers
Role of student
teaching and
learning that you
will apply in your
professional
practice.
Assessment Type
Personal
Application
(Provide 3 or
more examples)
Add web links for
articles.