BEHAVIOURAL
APPROACH
WHAT IS BEHAVIORISM ?
Behaviorism (also called learning theory) refers to a psychological approach which
emphasizes scientific and objective methods of investigation and concerned with
observable and measurable aspects of human behavior.
Based on the ideology the environment has a direct influence on behavior.
It is presumed that by manipulation the environment, learning can be enhanced
through behavior modification.
Behavioral theorists base their explanations and treatments on principles of
learning,(the processes by which these behaviors change in response to the
environment) of Classical conditioning and Operant conditioning.
Behaviorists also hold that all behaviors can also be unlearned, and replaced by
new behaviors.
BASIC ASSUMPTIONS
All behavior is learnt from the environment.
Everything about human behavior is learnt through experiences.
Psychology should be seen as a science.
Behaviorism is primarily concerned with observable behavior, as opposed to internal
events like thinking and emotion.
There is little difference between the learning that takes place in humans and that in other
animals.
Behavior is the result of stimulus – response.
PIONEERS OF BEHAVIORISM
John Watson, known as the father of behaviorism
Ivan Pavlov, best known for classical conditioning
B.F. Skinner, known for operant conditioning
Edward Thorndike, known for the law of effect.
Albert Bandura, known for social learning theory.
Little Albert
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
classical conditioning,
learning occurs by temporal
association. When two events
repeatedly
occur close together in time, they
become fused in a person’s
mind, and before long the person
responds in the same way to
both events.
CONDITIONING IN DAILY LIFE
OPERANT CONDITIONING
B.F. Skinner (1938) coined the term operant conditioning; it means roughly
changing of behavior by the use of reinforcement which is given after the
desired response. Skinner identified three types of responses or operant that
can follow behavior:
• NEUTRAL OPERANT: 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.
SKINNER’S EXPERIMENT
TYPES OF REINFORCEMENTS
Positive reinforcement
strengthens a behavior by
providing a consequence an
individual finds rewarding.
Negative reinforcement
strengthens behavior because
it stops or removes an
unpleasant experience.
OPERANT CONDITIONING IN DAILY LIFE
BANDURA’S SOCIAL LEARNING
BOBO DOLL EXPERIMENT
OBSERVATIONAL LEARNING OR IMITATION