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 BEHAVIORISM THEORY

It is a learning theory that only focuses on

objectively observable behaviors and
discounts any independent activities of the
mind.
Behavior theorist define learning as nothing
more than the acquisition of new behavior
based on environmental conditions.
 Experiments by behaviorist identify
conditioning as a universal learning
process. There are two different types of
conditioning, each yielding a different
behavioral pattern.
 • FAT H E R O F C L A S S I C A L C O N D I T I O N I N G ,
A L S O K N O W N A S PAV L O V I A N
CONDITIONING
• PAV L O V ’ S W O R K S E T T H E F O U N D AT I O N
F O R J O H N B . WAT S O N , A N D H I S I D E A O F
B E H AV I O R I S M .
• U S E D T H E O R I E S O F A S S O C I AT I V E
L E A R N I N G A N D B E H AV I O R I S M T O C R E AT E
HIS OWN THEORY OF CLASSICAL
CONDITIONING.

IVAN PAVLOV
 CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Occurs when reflex responds to a stimulus. We are
biologically “wired” so that a certain stimulus will
produce a specific response.
One of the more common examples of classical
conditioning in th educational environment is in
situations where students exhibit irrational fears
and anxieties like fear of failure, fear of public
speaking and general school phobia.
 OPERANT CONDITIONING

Occurs when response to a stimulus is reinforced.

Basically, operant conditioning is a simple
feedback system. If a reward or reinforcement
follows the response to a stimulus, then the
response becomes more probable in the future.
 CONNECTIONISM THEORY
The learning theory of Thorndike represents the original S-R
framework of behavioral psychology: Learning is the result
of associations forming between stimuli and responses.
Such associations or “habits” become strengthened or
weakened by the nature and frequency of the S-R pairings.
The paradigm for S-R theory was trial and error learning in
which certain responses come to dominate others due to
rewards. The hallmark of connectionism (like all behavioral
theory) was that learning could be adequately explained
without referring to any unobservable internal states.
 THORNDIKE’S THEORY CONSISTS OF THREE
PRIMARY LAWS:
(1) law of effect – responses to a situation which are followed by a
rewarding state of affairs will be strengthened and become habitual
responses to that situation.
(2) law of readiness – a series of responses can be chained together to
satisfy some goal which will result in annoyance if blocked.
(3) law of exercise – connections become strengthened with practice and
weakened when practice is discontinued. A corollary of the law of effect
was that responses that reduce the likelihood of achieving a rewarding
state (i.e., punishments, failures) will decrease in strength.
The theory suggests that transfer of learning depends upon the presence of
identical elements in the original and new learning situations; i.e.,
transfer is always specific, never general. In later versions of the theory,
the concept of “belongingness” was introduced; connections are more
readily established if the person perceives that stimuli or responses go
together (c.f. Gestalt principles). Another concept introduced was
“polarity” which specifies that connections occur more easily in the
direction in which they were originally formed than the opposite.
Thorndike also introduced the “spread of effect” idea, i.e., rewards affect
not only the connection that produced them but temporally adjacent
connections as well.
The classic example of Thorndike’s S-R theory was a cat learning to escape
from a “puzzle box” by pressing a lever inside the box. After much trial and
error behavior, the cat learns to associate pressing the lever (S) with opening
the door (R). This S-R connection is established because it results in a
satisfying state of affairs (escape from the box). The law of exercise specifies
that the connection was established because the S-R pairing occurred many
times (the law of effect) and was rewarded (law of effect) as well as forming
a single sequence (law of readiness).
 PRINCIPLE OF CONNECTIONISM THEORY
BY EDWARD THORNDIKE
1.) Learning requires both practice and rewards (laws of effect
/exercise)
2.) A series of S-R connections can be chained together if they belong
to the same action sequence (law of readiness).
3.) Transfer of learning occurs because of previously encountered
situations.
4.) Intelligence is a function of the number of connections learned.
 HOW BEHAVIORISM AND CONNECTIONISM
INFLUENCE IN SPED
This theory is relatively simple to understand because it
relies only on observable behavior and describes several
universal laws of behavior. Its positive and negative
reinforcement techniques can be very effective such as in
treatments for human disorders including autism, anxiety
disorders and antisocial behavior.
Behaviorism is often used by special education teachers who
reward or punish student behaviors.