Behaviorism

Zunaira Aslam
Student no: 2019-1504
Content
 What is behaviorism

 Behaviorism theories

 Classroom implications

 Strength and weaknesses of behaviorism

 Conclusion
What is behaviorism?
 Behaviorism, also known as behavioral psychology, is a theory of
learning based on the idea that all behaviors are acquired through
conditioning.
 Conditioning occurs through interaction with the
environment. Behaviorists believe that our responses to
environmental stimuli shape our actions.
 TYPES OF CONDITIONING:
 Classical Conditioning
 Operant Conditioning
• List key school staff (principal, librarian, etc.)
• Include organization chart
Behaviorism Theories By
 John B. Watson

 Ivan Pavlov

 B. F. Skinner

 Edward Thorndike
John B. Watson

 John B. Watson American Psychologist

 Establish the psychological school of

behaviorism

 “Little Albert” Experiment

 Also know as Father of behaviorism

 Little Albert Experiment
 Watson then presented the rat
with a loud bang that startled Little
Albert and made him cry.
 After the continuous association of
the white rat and loud noise, Little
Albert was experience fear at the
sight of the rat.
 Watson presented Little Albert with
a white rat and he showed no fear.
 Albert's fear generalized to other
stimuli that were similar to the rat,
including a fur coat, some cotton
wool, and a Father Christmas mask.
Ivan Pavlov
 Discovered of a basic form of learning called
classical conditioning referred to PAVLOVIAN.

 Food (UCS) Salivation (UCR)

 Bell (CS) No response

 Bell and Food(CS) Salivation (UCR)

 Bell (CS) Salivation (CR)

B. F. Skinner
 Skinner (1948) Studied operant
conditioning by conducting experiment
using animals which he placed in a
“Skinners Box”.
 Operant conditioning base on two basic
thing:
 Reinforcement
 Punishment
 Skinner showed how positive
reinforcement worked by placing a
hungry rat in his Skinner box. The box
contained a lever on the side, and as the
rat moved about the box, it would
accidentally knock the lever.
Immediately it did so a food pellet would
drop into a container next to the lever.
Reinforcement and punishment
 Reinforcement:
 Reinforcement is define as the increase the behaviour. To
repeat again and again in future.

 Punishment:
 Punishment is defined as the opposite of reinforcement since
it is designed to weaken or eliminate a response rather than
increase it.
 There are the types of reinforcement and punishment:

 Positive reinforcement
 Negative Reinforcement

 Positive Punishment
 Negative Punishment
Reinforcement Schedule
 “Reinforcement is better then Punishment”
 Continuous Reinforcement
 Partial Reinforcements

 Continuous Reinforcement:

 This is an operant conditioning principle in which an organism is reinforced every

single time that organism provides the appropriate operant response. 

 Partial Reinforcements:
 In partial (or intermittent) reinforcement, the response is reinforced only part of the
time. Learned behaviors are acquired more slowly with partial reinforcement, but
the response is more resistant to extinction.
Edward Thorndike
 Edward Thorndike was an influential psychologist who
is often referred to as the founder of modern educational
psychology.

 He was perhaps best-known for his famous puzzle box

experiments with cats which led to the development of his
law of effect.
Law of Effect
The law of effect principle developed by Edward
Thorndike suggested that:

"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 ."
Classroom Implications

 A behaviorist educator would use positive and

negative reinforcement as a means to motivate their

students. As extreme behaviorist believes all

motivation for the students to learn is extrinsic.

EXAMPLES:
 Handing out treats to reward good test scores.

 Emphasizing grades, rather than significance of learning

 Giving free homework passes to students who complete all their

assignment on time.

 Smiling and complimenting students on a job well done.

 Create positive culture in
How to create positive the classroom
reinforcement in the class

And the results are in…..

Strengths and Weaknesses of
behaviorism
Strengths: Weaknesses:
 Focuses on observable, measurable  Does not account for biological influences
behaviors
 Does not consider moods, thoughts, or
 Scientific and replicable feelings

 Useful for modifying behaviors in the  Does not explain all learning
real-world

 Useful applications in therapy, education,

parenting, child care
Conclusion
 As a learning theory Behaviorism focuses on the
observable behavior which they claim must be the subject
of a scientific study. ... New learning approaches and
theories appeared in the 20th century as a response to these
shortcomings. Cognitivism and constructivism are the
major trends of this movement