Behaviorist Theories of

Learning
• learning as an observable change in behavior.
• watch for observable changes in behavior to find out what
people were learning.
• Environment greatly affects behavior
Proponents
Ivan Pavlov
Classical conditioning
> learning occurs when a
neutral stimulus (e.g., a tone)
becomes associated with a
stimulus (e.g., food) that
naturally produces a behavior
(e.g., salivation). After the
association is learned, the
previously neutral stimulus (e.g.,
a tone) is by itself sufficient to
produce the behavior (e.g.,
salivation).
B.F. Skinner
Operant Conditioning
➢learning occurs through the
process of reinforcing an
appropriate voluntary
response to a stimulus in the
environment.
➢reinforcement or punishment
➢like “adding and subtracting”
rather than “good and bad.”
The laws of Learning by Edward
Thorndike
“Responses that produce a satisfying effect in a particular
situation become more likely to occur again in that situation, and
responses that produce a discomforting effect become less likely
to occur again in that situation (Gray, 2011, p. 108–109).”

connectionism or association theory

Law of Readiness, Law of Exercise and Law of Effect.
The Laws of Learning
LAWS OF LEARNING
Law of Readiness/Connectionism
CONCEPTS APPLICATION TO TEACHING AND
LEARNING
• learner must be ready and in good
condition in order to be success in
his learning
• Ready in physical means learner is
not in sick condition, and ready in
psychology means learner do not
have mental sickness and other.
• learning is an activity that form
association or connection between
an impression of five sense and
tends to act., for example person
who likes to cook, then he or she
will do that thing, and if he or she
does that, he or she will feel
satisfied and happy
The Laws of Learning
LAWS OF LEARNING CONCEPTS APPLICATION TO TEACHING AND
LEARNING

Law of Exercise • main principle of learning is

repetition
• exercises contain two things.
First is The Law of Use; that
is connections between
condition and action can be
strong if there is an exercise.
• Second is The Law of Disuse;
that is connections between
condition and action can be
weak if the exercise is
stopped
The Laws of Learning
LAWS OF LEARNING CONCEPTS APPLICATION TO TEACHING AND
LEARNING

Law of effect • law of effect happened to

someone who gives
punishment or reward .
• However, in education the
thing that can give the
reward will be more effective
than a punishment.
• state that connection
between stimulus and
respond can produce an
effect
Other Laws of Learning
• Law of Primacy
• The first thing learned has the strongest S-R bond is
almost inerasable.
• The first (prime) learning experience should be as
functional, as precise, as positive as possible so that it
paves the way to the more comfortable learning
experiences to follow.
• Law of Intensity
• Activities provided by teachers should come with extreme relevance to the
learners.
• Exposing the students to the real world application of the skills and concepts
will make the students most likely to remember the experience.
• Law of Recency
• The concepts/skills most recently learned are less forgotten.
Watson's theory of behaviorism
• John B. Watson
• Key principles:
• Behavior is observable and measurable
• Environment shapes behavior
• Learning is a process of conditioning
• formation of associations between stimuli and responses: reinforcement
or punishment
• Behavior can be predicted and controlled
Non-behaviorism
• Edward Tolman and Albert Bandura
KEY CONCEPT OF TOLMAN’S THEORY ON PURPOSIVE
BEHAVIORISM

• Learning is always purposive and goal-directed.

• Cognitive maps help students perform well. Organisms select the
shortest or easiest path to achieve a goal.
• Latent learning stays with the individual until needed.
• Learning is influenced by expectations, perceptions, representations,
needs and other internal variables like hunger.
ALBERT BANDURA’S SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY
• humans learn from observing and imitating the behavior modeled by
others.
• Bandura labelled this phenomenon observational learning.

• In short, it is not necessary to have a direct experience of something in

order to learn.
• heavily rooted in Pavlov’s classical conditioning and Skinner’s operant
conditioning.
His theory:
• Behavior is learned from the environment through observational learning.
• There are mental factors that determine whether or not a new behavior is
acquired.
4 Elements of Social Learning Theory

• Attention: A lesson must engage a student sufficiently to hold their

attention.
• Retention: Students must be able to remember what they have seen
or heard.
• Reproduction: Students should be given time to practice the
observed behavior.
• Motivation: A student must be able to see the benefit of a new
behavior for long term assimilation.
• self-efficacy
Definition of Terms
• Learning Behavior
➢the crucial link between the way in which children and young
people learn and their social knowledge and behavior
➢Learning theory- Pavlov, Skinner, Watson, Bandura
➢Description of the learning theory
APPLICATION Learning Learning Description
• Situation 1: Miss Anita Behavior Theory
Ferrer is a grade 1
teacher who always give
praise or reward for every
correct answer or good
behavior displayed by her
pupils. Hence, her pupils
actively participated in
her discussion, and she
carries her class
smoothly.
APPLICATION
Situation 2: Mr. Fernando Jose is Learning Learning Description
a Math teacher in Grade 7. He Behavior Theory
makes students recite the
multiplication table as entrance
pass to his classroom. He also
provides short drills before
starting a lesson. His students
have significant improvement in
the mastery of the multiplication
table after implementing this
strategy.
 Situation 3: Josephine, a grade 8 student is
always noisy in a group activity. Her teacher
APPLICATION calls her attention and warns her that she
could not participate in the subsequent
activity is she continues to behave noisily.
Josephine stops being noisy to join the group
activity.

Learning Learning Description

Behavior Theory
APPLICATION LEARNING LEARNING DESCRIPTION
• Situation 4: Miss Diaz is a grade 2 BEHAVIOR THEORY
teacher She says po at opo every
time she talks to her pupils. She
makes sure that her students do
the same when they interact with
one another.