...Comparison of Two Theories of Learning -Behaviorism and Constructivism as applied to Face-to-Face and Online Learning Dr. Mary Anne Weegar Dr. Dina Pacis National University San Diego, CA, USA Abstract The two theories of learning discussed are Behaviorism and Constructivism. Skinner and Watson, the two major developers of the behaviorist school of thought sought to prove that behavior could be predicted and controlled (Skinner, 1974). They studied how learning is affected by changes in the environment. The constructivists viewed learning as a search for meaning. Piaget and Vygotsky described elements that helped predict what children understand at different stages (Rummel, 2008). Details of both theories illuminate the differences and connections between the behavioral and constructivist theories in relationship to how children learn and how their behavior is affected. How curriculum and instruction work with these theories to promote learning and how educators view learning with respect to both theories are also reviewed. Introduction Many students enrolled in institutions of higher education in the United States have had experience with both face-to-face and online classes. Educational researchers have begun to examine the technological characteristics of online classes which contribute to making online classes equivalent to face-to-face classes in relationship to their pedagogical effectiveness. The growth of online learning has changed the traditional learning environment of brick...
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...the result of environmental experience! Environmental experience (also called learning) is the sum total of all life experiences that the individual has been subjected to in the past and to the new experiences that will impinge on his or her behavior. For the behavioral perspective the emphasis is on factors in the environment that influence behavior, in this discussion such a factor to be examined will be music. The behavioral perspective is still very influential to this day and is responses from pleasurable consequences. Classical and operant conditioning are learned through the behavioral perspective. I have chosen this perspective because it's fascinating to know how much we learn and reinforce the behavior we are exposed to. Through experience, I hope to gain a better understanding of the musical effect on human behavior through the behavioral perspective First to be discussed in order to fully understand the behavioral perspective, the background and foundation of the perspective must be overviewed. The following major founders or those who had a major impact on the behavioral perspective and behaviorism in general are: Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936) in The Conditional Reflex, J.B. Watson (1878-1958) in The Founding of Behaviorism, Thorndike (1874-1949) in The Law of Effect, and lastly B.F. Skinner (1904-1990) in his Radical Behaviorism. Firstly, Pavlov discovered the basic mechanism of learning, known as the conditioned reflex. Before his discovery, it was always believed...
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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...
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...Traditional Learning Theories Strayer University Understanding the learning process has been a goal of philosophers for centuries. With the investigating of learning through scientific processes inroads began to be made in understanding how learning occurs. The three traditional learning theories that are going to be discussed in this paper include behavioral, cognitive, and constructivism. The paper will also examine the various teaching methods for each strategy. Best described “learning is a process that brings together cognitive, emotional, and environmental influences and experiences for acquiring, enhancing, or making changes in one’s knowledge, skills, values, and worldviews”, (Merriam, 2007, p. 277). Each theory discussed aims to give an explanation of how the learning process occurs. The behaviorist theory was developed in the early twentieth century (Merriam, 2007). Behaviorism has had many contributions from various individuals. There are three core premises that behaviorist believe to be true. These include: a focus on external measurable behavior, and that learning occurs through a change in behavior (Merriam, 2007). Next, what the learner is able to learn is based on their environment, not the learner themselves. Finally, learning is based on contiguity and reinforcement (Merriam, 2007). The behaviorist theory as it applies to education is concerned with the observable behavior a of the learner (Merriam, 2007). There...
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...Brief History of Behaviorism Behaviorism and education examines the behavior of a student rather than the mind of a student. The base of behaviorism lies in the understanding of how students verbally or emotionally react to influences or stimuli of external forces (their environment). Behaviorists believe that learning takes place because of a response that follows on a specific stimulus. By repeating the stimuli-response (S-R) cycle, the subject, whether it is animal or human, is conditioned into repeating a response whenever the stimulus is present. Simply put, the sources of a behavior and learning are external (environmental), not internal (scientific psychological processes). Modern Behaviorist take into account that people are not born as blank slates, what they become, how they learn, and what they learn is based on environmental conditioning of outside forces, i.e. parents, teachers, culture, as well as genetic makeup. However, the result of a direct stimuli response does create a chemical response in our brains, which can change our behavior, intelligence, etc. Therefore, learning and behavior are unquestionably affected by positive and stimulating environments, but does not exclusively rely on this. Behaviors and learning are also programmed by events in our past, ideas adopted from other people in our environment, and how our chemical biology responds to this stimulus. When parents, teachers, doctors, and psychologists first began to study children and...
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...Behaviorism: How We Learn by Doing and The Effects it Has On Teaching New Behaviors Tina Marie Saunders American Intercontinental University February 1, 2015 Abstract In this paper, I will show how behaviorist theories have shaped and molded new behaviors. I will talk about the origins and a central component of each action theory, including Classical Conditioning, Law of Effect, and Operant Conditioning. Both Classical condition and operant conditioning are the central focal point in my paper. I will present a brief assessment of Classical Conditioning, Law of Effect, and Operant Conditioning experiments and how they directly link to learning new behaviors. I argue there is a direct relationship to how we learned behavior, is the foundation for building a new practice by performing a task repeatedly. Keywords: Behavior, conditioning, stimulus, shaping, prompting, fading How we learn From Doing has been the Foundation for Behaviorism and its Effect it has thrown on New Learning Explanations Behaviorism was a virtuoso among the most, sketchy, and most tried speculation in the field of psychology in the twentieth Century. Man has dependably been attractive with this "tell me, and I disregard" learning. The idea individuals can change conduct or adjusted, or spread out or diminished is the heart of behavior hypothesis. I will demonstrate how we learn from doing has been the foundation for behaviorism and its effect it has thrown on new learning explanations (of why...
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...Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, as they together were of the first to put forth an effort towards understanding, among many things, how people think and why. Roughly 2000 years later, there were a growing number of educated individuals beginning to take second look at everything we thought we knew about being human. Among these people, there was Ivan Pavlov, who began ringing a bell, and not only did Clarence get his wings, but what was learned through the well-known story of Pavlov and his dogs also served as the impetus for John Watson and B. F. Skinner and their ground-breaking notion of Behaviorism. Behaviorism, simplified, is the theory that a person is the product of their environment, and to change a person’s behavior, one needs to simply adjust their environment. More specifically, the term behaviorism was coined by John Watson which he defined as a “theoretical perspective in which learning and behavior are described and explained in terms of stimulus-response relationships” (Ormrod, 2010). Incidentally, this theory does not counter indicate the use of corporal punishment as a form of stimulus. The...
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...Summarize Behaviorism and How It Has Affected The Understanding of Learning Cynthia Diane King American InterContinental University Online Abstract Many people would argue that learning cannot stand alone without theories. When broken down, theories are a set of standards that guides us to construct predictions. Ones way of thinking is constructed from birth to adulthood. Theories are not set in stone and do not guarantee results. However, theories do guide a great deal of how we live, teach, and understand the world. As a result, this summary will explore the learning theories which guide our instruction as teachers, students, and how it has affected the understanding of learning. After this summary one will understand what behavioral, cognitive, and constructivist learning theories look like and how the understanding of these theories are applied to learning. The summary of behaviorism and how it has affected the understanding of learning When one thinks of the word behaviorism the root word behavior presents itself. According to Webster (2010) behavior is the way a person carries, acts, or presents oneself. Add ism to the word and it becomes a doctrine and/or theory. As a result, behaviorism is the theory that the way one presents oneself can be changed. Teachers may identify with the word behaviorism as the word behavior management. This an issue that one has found to be the most probing question of teachers…what type of behavior management...
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...eventually turn out to be a habit. A habit that will consume our senses until it will all become our Behavior. As to Psychologists, Behaviorism is more concerned with behavior than with thinking, feeling, or knowing. It focuses on the objective and observable components of behavior. Behaviorism focus on behaviors that can be observed only. Behaviorism deals with the consequences of behavior and those behaviors can be rewarded or punished. (Huitt, W., & Hummel, J. (2006). An overview of the behavioral perspective. Educational Psychology Interactive. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University. ) HISTORY Behaviourism is derived from the belief that free will is an illusion. According to a pure behaviourist, ( John B. Watson (1878-1958)) human beings are shaped entirely by their external environment. Alter a person's environment, and you will alter his or her thoughts, feelings, and behaviour. Provide positive reinforcement whenever someone perform a desired behaviour, and soon they will learn to perform the behaviour on their own. (Ivan Pavlov: 1891) The term behaviorism refers to the school of psychology founded by John B. Watson based on the belief that behaviors can be measured, trained, and changed. Behaviorism was established with the publication of Watson's classic paper "Psychology as the Behaviorist Views It" (1913). The origins of behaviorism grew out of the ideology of the American...
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...promotion is a nursing theory designed to prevent illness and the maintain disease. Nursing Theory ”Health promotion emphasis on behavior in the direction of social and environmental Interventions” (WHO, 2015, P. 1). Health promotion makes families and communities aware of preventive methods of diseases. Health promotion emphases on maintaining a healthy lifestyle for families and communities. Health promotion also focuses on educational theories, behaviorism is one of three educational theories. Educational Theory Behaviorism holds an influential part in the study of psychology. In the 20th century behavior theorist thought learning was a noticeable change in behavior, which occurs when two events come together, a stimulus and a response (Aliakbari, Parvin, Heidari, & Haghani, 2015 para. 11). Early theorist thought learner who had behavioral reinforcement, with positive results would be conditional for good performance. Behaviorist persists on the significance of practice and repetition in learning. Positive or negative reinforcement could encourage...
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...have contact with the law at an early age. Watson went on to Furman University and graduated at the young age of 16 in 1900 with a master's degree. Watson was influenced by one of his professors at Furman when Watson decided to enter the University of Chicago where Watson was to study philosophy and psychology. Watson studied comparative psychology Comparative psychology is the branch of psychology concerned with the study of animal behavior (Call, 2010). Watson felt more comfortable studying animals than he did humans and began his study in cortical development while using white rats. Although many other physiologists did not believe rats were capable of "associative learning" due to a rats brain development Watson thought otherwise. During Watson's experiments with the white rats could show that minimal learning was achieved during, the first week and that during the fourth week the white rats could form associations in the rats cortical development (Goodwin, 2008). Watson was able to have this study published that led to Watson's doctorate and his stay at the University of Chicago. During Watson's time at the University of Chicago from 1903 to 1908 Watson researched included white rats and mazes and how the rat would learn to navigate the maze through muscle movements rather than senses (e.g: whiskers) that led to Watson's introduction into experimental psychology and Watson's Behaviorist Manifesto which, is the prediction and control of behavior (Goodwin, 2008). Watson's...
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...2011 Perspectives Paper Throughout the history of psychology there has been many figures and different ideas that have made an impact on our world today. Among the many figures in psychology are John B. Watson, B.F. Skinner and Edward C. Tolman. In this essay we will compare and contrast the perspectives of each figure and how each of their ideas relate to the field of modern day psychology. John B. Watson grew up in Travelers Rest, South Carolina and attended Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. (Grandiosity.org) Known as the father of behaviorism. Watson believed that psychology should be the science of observable behavior. (2001 About.com) Watson created his theory based on the works of two (2) Russian psychologist Pavlov and Bekhterev. Watsons theory of behaviorism states that behavior is observable and can be correlated with other observable events (2009 Sunny Cooper) The goal of behaviorisms is to explain relationships between stimuli, behavior and consequences. B.F. Skinner was born March 20, 1904 in Susquehanna, PA and was known as a radical behaviorist. He developed the theory of operant conditioning. Operant conditioning is the idea that behavior is determined by its consequences, good or bad, which makes it more or less likely for the behavior to happen again (2001 Soylent communications) B.F. Skinner believed that the only scientific approach to psychology was that of studied behaviors. He did not believe in the existence of a mind...
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...Understanding Learning Through Behaviorism History Behaviorism started earlier works with a Russian physiologist named Ivan Pavlov. J.B Watson was one of the theories credited for his founding of the behavioral movement. B.F. Skinner played a major rule in the behavioral movement and is known for his research on operant conditioning and negative reinforcement. He developed a device called the "cumulative recorder," it showed rates of responding using a line, this device, he establish that behavior did not depend on the previous stimulus as Watson and Pavlov believed. Instead, Skinner found that the behaviors were dependent upon what happens following the response.(Waston, J. B. 1913) The behaviorism movement believes that behavior can be, measured also it can be trained; Watson set the stage for behaviorism, which soon become to lead psychology. While behaviorism did lose the hold it had on the other theories after 1950, however many of the main concepts are widely used today. The main components of the theory There are two concepts of behavioral theory that are very important one is classical and the other is operant conditioning, each involve the process of learning, however the processes are each different. Classical conditioning involves making an association between an involuntary response and a stimulus, while operant conditioning is about making an association between a voluntary behavior and a consequence. Classical conditioning can be used...
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...PERSONAL MODEL OF HELPING Karen Carr January 10, 2010 BSHS312 – Effective Models of Helping Dr. Princess Clarke \ How and why you formed this viewpoint In growing up I always wanted to help other people. I was the child who other children confided in or came to when they wanted to talk or needed help with a problem. When growing up it was not common for black people to go to counseling. Families kept secrets among themselves and sometimes those secrets came back to haunt people many years later. When faced with problems people relied on their spiritual beliefs, the support of the family, and sometimes close friends. If a girl had gotten pregnant and not married that would have been kept top secret. Usually a family member would raise the baby and no one would ever speak openly about it. My family had to deal with the death of two of my brothers at young ages. It hurt my mother deeply having to deal with the loss of two children because of violence. These tragedies were never discussed even as we became adults. As I became older I realized that my mother and our entire family should have gotten counseling. It was not until after my mother passed that my uncle shared with me the pain and agony that she had suffered but his emotional pain as well. Your view of helping As an adult I see the damage that family secrets and not having the capability to openly discuss problems, or seek professional help when needed can cause. I believe that helping people to...
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...things teachers should take into consideration. Teaching as a profession has many codes they have to abide by inside and outside of the work place. The philosophy of education normally promotes a specific type or vision of education, and/or which examine the definition, goals and meaning of education. While you read this philosophy you will see what I have noticed or feel what teachers should do when it pertains to the student and their education. Behaviorism in the psychology sense is a movement in psychology and philosophy that emphasized the outward behavioral aspects of thought and dismissed the inward experiential, and sometimes the inner procedural aspects. Behaviorism in the educational sense is primarily concerned with observable and measurable aspects of human behavior. In defining behavior, behaviorist learning theories emphasize changes in behavior that result from stimulus-response associations made by the learner. In the book “About Behaviorism” B.F Skinner stated that he believes that certain things about behaviorism or the science of behavior are wrong. For example, 1. Its ignores consciousness, feelings, and state of mind 2. It neglects innate endowment and argues that all behavior is acquired during the lifetime of the individual 3. It formulates behavior simply as a set of responses to stimuli, thus representing a person as an automaton, robot, puppet or machine 4. It does not attempt to account for cognitive process 5. It has no place for intention or purpose ...
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