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Behaviorism Evaluation

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Abstract

Behaviorism is often referred to as behavioral psychology in which its’ theory of learning is focused on the notion that all behaviors are attained by way of conditioning, as conditioning takes place within the environment (DeGrandpre, 2000). Behaviorism focuses heavily on the utilization of conditioning as well as the study of observable behavior which can be scientifically and objectively measured. This paper will; (1) summarize the four conditioning theories of behaviorism, (2) analyze the strengths and weaknesses of behaviorism in general, (3) apply behaviorism to a practical situation in your specialization, describing the situation, how the theory can be applied, and what the expected outcomes would be, as well as (4) describe the relation of behaviorism to self-regulation.

The four conditioning theories of behaviorism

Connectionism- Thorndike’s connectionism theory explains that as an individual experiences life, the feelings that they develop during the experiences allows that individual to modify their behavior. According to Schunk (2012) the theory of connectionism was developed by Thorndike and is a theory that involves formation associations between responses and stimuli. Thorndike’s theory is composed of three primary laws; (1) the law of effect, (2) the law of readiness, and (3) the law of exercise, it is these three laws that connect the sensory experiences and neural impulses (Schunk, 2012). The law of effect indicates that responses are strengthened when they are followed by satisfaction and responses are weakened when they are followed by discomfort (MacInnes, 2006). The law of readiness indicates that when there is a learning experience, the mind must be willing to connect to that experience. The law of exercise indicates that the connection between the stimulus and the response gets stronger when the

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