FOCUS ON LEARNING Part 3-Facilitating Learning

Study notes from Ormrod's Human Learning

Behaviorist Learning is a relatively permanent change in behavior due to experience.

Cognitive

Learning is a relatively permanent change in mental associations due to experience. This definition focuses on a This refers to a change in behavior, an external change change in mental associations, an internal that we can observe. change that we cannot observe.

Assumptions of behaviorism
1. The primary means of investigating learning is by observation.

2. Principles of learning apply equally to different behaviors and to different species of animals. Behaviorists typically state that human beings and other animals learn in similar ways.

Assumptions of behaviorism
3. Learning processes can be studied most objectively when the focus of study is on stimuli and responses. Typically learning is described as a stimulus and response relationship, S = R.

Look at the chart and say the COLOR not the word.

RED ORANGE RED BLUE PURPLE RED BLACK RED BLACK YELLOW RED BLUE RED ORANGE RED BLACK RED BLACK

Assumptions of behaviorism
4.Internal cognitive processes are largely excluded from scientific study.

Assumptions of behaviorism
5. Learning involves a behavior change. Some behaviorists proposed that if no observable change happens, then no learning has happened.

6. Organisms are born as blank slates. Organisms are not born with any predispositions to be made in certain ways. Since each organism has a different experience with the environment, each will have a different set of behaviors.

Assumptions of behaviorism
7.The learning of all behavior is best explained by as few learning principles as possible.

8. Learning is largely the result of environmental events. Behaviorists tend to use the term conditioning instead of learning to reflect this. The most useful theories tend to be universal ones.

FORGET ME NOT
Ivan Pavlov: Pavlov developed the theory known now as classical conditioning through the study of dogs. From his perspective learning begins with a stimulus response connection. In this theory a certain stimulus leads to a particular response.

FORGET ME NOT
Edward Thorndike: Thorndike introduced a theory of learning now called connectionism. Thorndike emphasized the role of experience in the strengthening and weakening of stimulus response connections. He postulated, "Responses to a situation that are followed by satisfaction are strengthened, responses that are followed by discomfort weakened. " Thorndike so proposed that practice influences s = r connections as well. His idea that rewards promote learning continues to be a key component of behaviorist theory today.

CONNECTIONISM THEORY

Learning has taken

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John Watson:
Watson introduced the term behaviorism and was a vocal advocate in the early part of the 20th century. Watson called for the use of scientific objectivity and experiment in to the study of psychological phenomena. He also proposed a law of frequency that stressed the importance of repetition. "The more frequent a stimulus and response to occur in association with each other, the stronger that habit will become." Watson's law of recency: "The response that has most recently occurred after a particular stimulus is the response most likely to be associated with that stimulus."

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Edwin Guthrie: Edwin Guthrie proposed a contiguity theory: "A stimulus that is followed by a particular response will, upon its recurrence, tend to be followed by the same response again. This stimulus response connection gains in its full strength on one trial." Guthrie conducted little research on his ideas; therefore doubt has been cast upon his theories through later research.

FORGET ME NOT
Clark Hull:
Clark Hull introduced the idea that characteristics can be unique to different organisms. He also proposed that intervening variable unique to each organism and affects the strength of the response. He modified the stimulus response theory to stimulus organism response, S-O-R. One intervening variable influencing the occurrence of a response is habit strength. A second intervening variable is the organisms drive, which is an internal state of arousal that motivates its behavior. Clark also proposed that inhibitory factors could decrease the likelihood of a response. He also proposed a habit family hierarchy, which means an organism will, when given the