Behaviorism

Prepared by:
Castillo, Danica Gabriel, Joel
Felarca, Raven Pusing, Angelica
Gatdula, Christopher Rosas, Lawrence
What is Behaviorism?

 Behaviorism, also known as behavioral psychology, is a theory of learning which states all
behaviors are learned through interaction with the environment and through a process called
conditioning. Thus, behavior is simply a response to environmental stimuli.
 Behaviorism is only concerned with observable stimulus-response behaviors, as they can be
studied in a systematic and observable manner.
It assumes “All” behavior are:
a) Responses to Stimuli
b) One’s history (Reinforcement and punishment)
c) One present motivational state and controlling stimuli.
 • Ivan Pavlov
Did the experiment with the dogs. Came up with
the theory of classical conditioning.

• B.F. Skinner
Developed the theory of operant conditioning.
Operant Conditioning is the use of consequences to
Important modify the occurrence and form of behavior.

People in • John B. Watson

Behaviorism The “Little Albert” experiment. He gets credit
for establishing the psychological school of
behaviorism.

• Edward Thorndike
Regarded as the first to study operant conditioning
or learning from consequences of behaviors.
Conducted an experiment called the puzzle box
experiment and law of effect.
 According to
Behaviorists, we are
born as:

“blank slates” one’s Believed the

“lumps of clay” that can Learning = Behavior Doesn’t
environment writes on; environment (extrinsic
be shaped by one’s change due to consider/believe in
“vessels” to pour forces) is the only thing
environment experience intrinsic motivation
knowledge into that matters
The goal of behaviorism is to explain
relationships between antecedent
conditions(stimuli), behavior (responses), and
consequences(reward, punishment, or neutral
effect).
Operant Conditioning

Operant conditioning, also known as instrumental conditioning, is a method of learning

normally attributed to B.F. Skinner, where the consequences of a response determine the
probability of it being repeated. Through operant conditioning behavior which is reinforced
(rewarded) will likely be repeated, and behavior which is punished will occur less frequently.

A Skinner box, also known as an operant conditioning chamber, is a device used

to objectively record an animal's behavior in a compressed time frame. An animal
can be rewarded or punished for engaging in certain behaviors, such as lever
pressing (for rats) or key pecking (for pigeons).
Skinner identified three types
of responses, or operant, that
can follow behavior.

• Neutral operants: responses from the

environment that neither increase nor decrease
the probability of a behavior being repeated.
• Reinforcers: Responses from the environment
that increase the probability of a behavior
being repeated. Reinforcers can be either
positive or negative.
• Punishers: Responses from the environment
that decrease the likelihood of a behavior
being repeated. Punishment weakens behavior.
Positive Reinforcement
• Positive reinforcement, a response or behavior is
strengthened by rewards, leading to the repetition of
desired behavior. The reward is a reinforcing stimulus.
Positive reinforcement strengthens a behavior by
providing a consequence an individual finds rewarding.

Negative Reinforcement
• Negative reinforcement is the termination of an
unpleasant state following a response. This is known as
negative reinforcement because it is the removal of an
adverse stimulus which is ‘rewarding’ to the animal or
person. Negative reinforcement strengthens behavior
because it stops or removes an unpleasant experience.
 Punishment is defined as the opposite of reinforcement since it is
designed to weaken or eliminate a response rather than increase it. It is
an aversive event that decreases the behavior that it follows. Like
reinforcement, punishment can work either by directly applying an
unpleasant stimulus like a shock after a response or by removing a
potentially rewarding stimulus, for instance, deducting someone’s
pocket money to punish undesirable behavior.
 Classical conditioning (also known as Pavlovian
or respondent conditioning) is learning through
association and was discovered by Pavlov, a
Russian physiologist. In simple terms, two stimuli
are linked together to produce a new learned
response in a person or animal. Classical
 The most famous example of classical
conditioning was Pavlov's experiment with dogs,
Conditioning
who salivated in response to a bell tone. Pavlov
showed that when a bell was sounded each time
the dog was fed, the dog learned to associate the
sound with the presentation of the food.
Three stages of classical conditioning

Stage 1: Before Conditioning:

• In this stage, the unconditioned stimulus (UCS) produces an unconditioned response
(UCR) in an organism. In basic terms, this means that a stimulus in the environment
has produced a behavior / response which is unlearned (i.e., unconditioned) and
therefore is a natural response which has not been taught. In this respect, no new
behavior has been learned yet.

For example, a stomach virus (UCS) would produce a response

of nausea (UCR). In another example, a perfume (UCS) could
create a response of happiness or desire (UCR).
Stage 2: During Conditioning:

• During this stage, a stimulus which produces no

response (i.e., neutral) is associated with the
unconditioned stimulus at which point it now
becomes known as the conditioned stimulus
(CS).example, a stomach virus (UCS)
For
might be associated with eating a
certain food such as chocolate (CS).
Also, perfume (UCS) might be
associated with a specific person
(CS).
Stage 3: After Conditioning:

• Now the conditioned stimulus (CS) has been associated with

the unconditioned stimulus (UCS) to create a new
conditioned
For example, response (CR). (CS) who has been
a person
associated with nice perfume (UCS) is now
found attractive (CR). Also, chocolate (CS)
which was eaten before a person was sick with
a virus (UCS) now produces a response of
nausea (CR).
Goal of Teaching
 Behaviorists believe that if teachers provide positive reinforcement, or rewards,
whenever students perform a desired behavior, they will learn to perform the
behavior on their own. The same concept applies to punishments. Behaviorists
think people act in response to internally or externally generated physical stimuli.
They basically consider human nature to be the product of one's environment.
 The goal of behavioristic teaching methods is to manipulate the environment of a
subject — a human or an animal — in an effort to change the subject’s observable
behavior.
Behaviorism in the Classroom
1. Focus instruction on observable learner performance.
2. Assure that learners can perform the skills that are pre-requisites to
that performance.
3. Elicit a rapidly paced, correct performance.
4. Use appropriate consequences following performance.
How do you use Behaviorism in the classroom?
How can you apply this?
1. Teacher leads the class through a topic.
2. Students listen silently.
3. Teacher then sets a task based on the information.
4. Students complete the task and await feedback.
5. The teacher gives feedback, and then sets the next task.
6. With each round of feedback, the student is being conditioned to learn the
material.
What are
• Rewards and Punishments
examples of
An example of behaviorism is when
behaviorism? teachers reward their class or certain
students with a party or special treat at the
end of the week for good behavior
throughout the week. The same concept is
used with punishments. The teacher can
take away certain privileges if the student
misbehaves.
How to teach involving
behaviorism.
Meeting the needs of diverse learners.

In any given classroom, even when students are similar in ability or

achievement level, we will encounter students who have varying
cultural, socioeconomic, linguistic and family backgrounds, different
level of prior knowledge, work ethics, motivation, and different interest
to name a few characteristics. It is unrealistic to consider creating
individualized in structural methods for students based on their specific
characteristics’.
Meeting • Differentiated Instruction
the needs • Learning Style

of diverse • Culturally Responsive Pedagogy

learners.
These are times when it is important to implement Differentiated
Instruction, providing a different learning experience to address
particular students’ needs.
Example:
• Students with language impairments or who are English language
learners.
• Students with learning disabilities or intellectual disabilities.
• Students who are gifted.
 Learn well when instruction matches their
learning preference.

• Visual learners
Learning
Style • Auditory learner

• Kinesthetic learner
 Culturally Responsive
Pedagogy

It is important to teach with the unique backgrounds

and interest of students in minds. Culturally
Responsive Pedagogy involves instruction that uses
student's cultural beliefs, values, family and
community backgrounds, language, and prior
knowledge to create learning experiences
characterized by active construction of knowledge
and connections to personal experience.
Teaching Methods Based
on Behaviorism
Behavioral learning theory proposes, simply,
that learning leads to a change in an
individual’s behavior.
• Direct Instruction
• Mastery Learning
Direct Instruction
Direct Instruction is to maximize the time that
students spend in appropriate task by
emphasizing completion of learning task and
by minimizing off-task behavior such as
puzzles, games, and teacher- student
interactions not directly related to academic
task.
Mastery Learning is based on the idea
that all students can learn curricular
material if given sufficient time. Teachers
set identify clearly and definitely mastery
level, such an 80% on a unit test. Student
who do not master a certain unit are
Mastery
allowed to repeat it or an equivalent
version at their own pace and to take
Learning
another unit test until they have mastered
the material.
Reinforcement is meant to increase a good
behavior; it's like a reward. So, if Cynthia
comes in and sits down quietly at her desk
and Mr. Greene gives her a piece of candy,
the candy is reinforcement for the behavior
of sitting quietly. It's meant to encourage
Cynthia to do that more often.
On the other hand, a punishment is
meant to decrease bad behavior. For
example, if Cynthia does not do her
homework, calling her parents might
be a punishment that Mr. Greene can
do to discourage skipping homework
in the future.
Further be divided into two subcategories:
positive and negative. In this context,
positive doesn't mean good; it just means
giving something or adding something on.
Negative means taking something away.
Two reinforcements and two
punishments.
Positive reinforcement involves giving the student something
that he or she wants. For example, if Cynthia does her
homework, even if the questions are wrong, Mr. Greene can give
her an A for effort. He is giving her something that she wants (an
A) to reinforce her good behavior (doing her homework).
He can also take something away that the student does not want, which
is negative reinforcement. For example, if Cynthia does all of her
homework assignments, Mr. Greene can drop the lowest grade. He is
taking away something that she doesn't want (a low grade) to reinforce
good behavior (doing homework).
Punishments, too, can be either positive or
negative. A positive punishment is one that
involves giving the student something that he or
she does not want. For example, Mr. Greene can
give Cynthia detention for failing to follow his
classroom rules. He's giving her something she
doesn't want (detention) to punish her bad
behavior.
He could take away something that the student does want, which is
called negative punishment. For example, he can ban Cynthia from
going on a school trip because she does not obey the rules. He punishing
her bad behavior by taking away something she wants like the field trip.