...Behaviorism and Learning Name Course Instructor Date Introduction Behaviorists argue that human behavior is learned hence the probability that human behavior can be unlearned, and new behavior can be learned is real. Behaviorist came to be as a counter for mentalists who emphasized on experimenting and understanding the mind. Behaviorists argue that the mind cannot be entirely tested to provide the true picture of learning. Instead, actions and reactions that people exhibit can be essential learning points about behavior. Behaviorist argued that what occurs in mind is non-observable hence focus should be on what is observable. Such perception led to the rise of behaviorism. Body Behaviorism is a hypothesis of learning based on the belief that behavior is acquired through conditioning. The responses that people demonstrate towards a certain environment shape his behavior. Behaviorism arose in early 20th century as a rejection of the analysis of the conscious and the unconscious mind. Ivan Pavlov is the earliest psychologists associated with the theory of behaviorism. Ivan discovered that behaviors could be learned through conditions association. Ivan conducted an experiment involving the digestive system of dogs to prove his theory. However, it is American psychologist John Watson who is recognized as the advocate of behaviorism. Watson introduce the theory of behaviorism in 1913 in the publication “psychology as the behaviorist views it” who later went...
Words: 858 - Pages: 4
...1 Behaviorism and Learning Behaviorism and Learning Name Course Instructor Date Introduction Behaviorists argue that human behavior is learned hence the probability that human behavior can be unlearned, and new behavior can be learned is real. Behaviorist came to be as a counter for mentalists who emphasized on experimenting and understanding the mind. Behaviorists argue that the mind cannot be entirely tested to provide the true picture of learning. Instead, actions and reactions that people exhibit can be essential learning points about behavior. Behaviorist argued that what occurs in mind is non-observable hence focus should be on what is observable. Such perception led to the rise of behaviorism. Body Behaviorism is a hypothesis of learning based on the belief that behavior is acquired through conditioning. The responses that people demonstrate towards a certain environment shape his behavior. Behaviorism arose in early 20th century as a rejection of the analysis of the conscious and the unconscious mind. Ivan Pavlov is the earliest psychologists associated with the theory of behaviorism. Ivan discovered that behaviors could be learned through conditions association. Ivan conducted an experiment involving the digestive system of dogs to prove his theory. However, it is American psychologist John Watson who is recognized as the advocate of behaviorism. Watson introduce the theory of behaviorism in 1913 in the publication...
Words: 860 - Pages: 4
...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...
Words: 1295 - Pages: 6
...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...
Words: 1084 - Pages: 5
...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...
Words: 1104 - Pages: 5
...February 1, 2015 Abstract The theory of behaviorism is that human and animal behavior can be explained in terms of conditioning without any preconceived thought, but it can be defined by observable behavior that is researched. Behaviorism projects that individuals are products of their experiences and have become who they are because of conditioning. John Watson, who is credited with Behaviorism, made the comment that he could take “twelve healthy infants and take any one of them and mold them into any given occupation regardless of genetics, race, talents and/or abilities.”(Jenson, 2014) Watson felt that conditioning was a crucial part of behaviorism, as it was an extension of Pavlov’s discovery and his studies of stimulus-response reflexive relationships. In this paper the founding of behaviorism, the main components of the behaviorism theory, a brief description of 3 behaviorist experiments, and how behaviorism develops new behaviors will be discussed. Behaviorism and its effect on the learning process The founder of behaviorism is credited to John B. Watson. According to Watson, behavior was a subject matter in its own right, to be studied by the observational methods common to all sciences. This field of study and learning was founded in 1912, and it was formed as a reaction to the current focus on psychology at the time. In order to form this theory, John Watson studied the research of Ivan Pavlov. Watson felt that “psychology must have an empirical, objective...
Words: 1286 - Pages: 6
...Skinner Behaviorism is described as a developmental theory that measures observable behaviors produced by a learner’s response to stimuli. Responses to stimuli can be reinforced with positive or negative feedback to condition desired behaviors. Punishment is sometimes used in eliminating or reducing incorrect actions, followed by clarifying desired actions. Educational effects of behaviorism are key in developing basic skills and foundations of understanding in all subject areas and in classroom management. According to behaviorism, knowing is giving the correct response when exposed to a particular stimulus. The behaviorist is not concerned with how or why knowledge is obtained, but rather if the correct response is given. Yu Ching Chen’s web site on behaviorism states that, “Learning is defined as nothing more than the acquisition of new behavior”. In terms of the concept of learning, the process tends to be passive with regard to the behaviorist theory. The learner uses low level processing skills to understand material and the material is often isolated from real-world contexts or situations. Little responsibility is placed on the learner concerning his/her own education. Typical classroom instruction consistent with the behaviorist theory includes; classroom management, rote memorization, and drill and practice. Several examples of behaviorism used in classroom management were highlighted in the reading section titled, “Behavioral Views of Learning” by A...
Words: 938 - Pages: 4
...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...
Words: 1351 - Pages: 6
...place. In this ext, I compare and contrast psychoanalytic psychology and behaviorist psychology. I also give my opinion on how these theories are utilized in the practice of psychology. A discussion When it comes to the evolution, it is important to note that Psychoanalysis and Behaviorism both share unique though substantively different intellectual as well as social contexts. Sigmund Freud is considered the pioneer of psychoanalysis which is considered to be quite influential as far as psychology is concerned. Amongst those who influenced Freud his early days include but are not limited to Chrobak Rudolf, Jean-Martin Charcot as well as Breuer, Josef. It can be noted that these three individuals had a lot in common and this included their view of neurotic disorders and the role sex played by sex in the same. On the other hand, behaviorism, tailored for purposes of behavioral control as well as prediction was largely a product o the utilitarian school of thought. According, to Leahey (2003) behaviorism owes much of its difference from Psychoanalysis due to its attempt to make psychology a science in the same rank with biology and physics. Further, in contrast to Psychoanalysis, behaviorism is not largely rooted in the study...
Words: 920 - Pages: 4
...Abstract This paper summarize behaviorism and how it has affected the understanding of learning. It includes a brief history of the founding of behaviorism. The main component of behaviorism learn theory are explored. Pavlov, Watson and Skinners experiments are briefly discussed as well as how behaviorism develops new behaviors. Behaviorism and Its Effect on the Understand of Leaning Behaviorism has many definitions but all have one thing in common, human behavior and actions. Behaviors and actions, not thoughts or emotions are what should be studied. Behaviorists believe that all behavior is learned. Behaviorists believe that all behavior can be unlearned and therefore replaced by corrected behaviors. A main idea to the behaviorist theory of learning is a reward for the correct behavior. The desired response must be rewarded in order for learning to take place. Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936) was the first behaviorist. Ivan Pavlov was studying how digestion works in mammals. He observed data about dogs and their digestive. He was studying what triggers dogs to salivate. The people who fed the dogs in the study wore lab coats. Pavlov noticed that the dogs would drool when they saw lab coats, even when they were not being fed. Classical conditioning was born from this observation. After Pavlov, the two crucial theorist were John B. Watson (1878-1958) and B. F. Skinner (1904-1990). Watson was influenced by Pavlov’s theory of classical conditioning and believed that conclusions...
Words: 786 - Pages: 4
...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...
Words: 5888 - Pages: 24
...even today. Behaviorism is, simply speaking, the analysis of a person’s response to his environment. John B. Watson, B. F. Skinner, and Edward C. Tolman would include their own varying details to accompany that definition. Most researchers in behaviorism concur that psychology should be considered as the study of behavior, not the study of the mental processes, and that behavior is caused by stimuli that abide in the external environment, not from the internal mind (Goodwin, 2008). From Watson’s first findings, which pushed behaviorism forward, Skinner proposed his own theory of behaviorism called radical behaviorism. Tolman believed that the important concepts of psychology could be deduced from the behavior displayed by rats traveling through mazes that he created (Goodwin, 2008). Even though they were thought of as behaviorists, their concepts and theories contrasted on a wide scale that went from Pavlov’s conditioning one end to the start of cognitive theory on the other end (Goodwin, 2008). Fundamental Perspective of John B. Watson John Watson (1878-1958) attended the University of Chicago where he studied under John Dewey. Dewey’s teachings did not satisfy him, and he soon decided to study under a functionalist psychologist named James Rowland Angell and Henry Donaldson, a physiologist. From their teachings, Watson began formulating his own beliefs, which would lead eventually to the establishment of what is called the psychological school of behaviorism. Watson’s...
Words: 1617 - Pages: 7
...why any activity facilitated or performed by the brain is called a mental processes or cognition. Cognition refers to the process that involves mental or cognitive ability such as in learning, comprehension, judging, thinking, problem-solving, remembering and recalling (Kendra, 2011). Neisser (2009) defined cognition as the “act of knowing, and cognitive psychology is the study of all human activities related to knowledge”. (Page 1) Cognitive psychology is a part of the larger field of cognitive science and is related to various disciplines in psychology such as neuroscience, linguistics, and philosophy. The main thrust of cognitive psychology is how the people acquire, store and process information. Compared with other dominant approaches in psychology for example, the behaviorism approach which is concerned with the observable behaviors, the cognitive approach focuses on internal mental states. Unlike psychoanalysis which is focused on subjective perceptions, the cognitive psychology approach is more involved with studying the internal mental states. (Wagner, 2011) Interdisciplinary perspective as it relates to cognitive psychology The interdisciplinary perspective as it relates to cognitive psychology is a very important foundation in understanding the mental abilities of human because the cognitive processing are also...
Words: 1201 - Pages: 5
...problem can be recognized, and how to effectively treat an personality illness. I will critique the behavioral model of personality by looking at the theories present , the major contributors to the field, the different methods of inquiry , along with the strengths and weakness of the model , and how possible future research may be done to further elucidate the role of this model in understanding personality. The behavioral model of personality closely focuses on the “emphasis on studying what is observable challenged psychology and` personality researchers to meet higher empirical standards.” (Magnavita, J.J. 2012). Such observable events that occur inside of the human mind, which are acted outside of the human mind , better known as our actions. It is usually based on inductive thinking, collected data, and a persons relationships, which help us to better understand behavior , also known as behaviorism. There are many different major contributors that have helped to shape the field of behaviorism as a result forming this behavioral model. Three of the contributors in particular had a very positive effect on how we now view behavior , Edward L. Thorndike , Ivan Pavlov,...
Words: 772 - Pages: 4
...In its most general sense, Behaviorism, also known as behavioral psychology, is a theory of learning developing as a result of the propositions and beliefs shared by a group of people who has influenced educators’ view of learning. The term behavioral psychology refers to a psychological approach which principally concerned with stimulus-response activities and emphasizes the role of environmental factors in a learning process, to the exclusion of own free will. There is a tenet of behavioral psychology that “only observable, measurable, an outward behavior is worth investigating” (Bush, 2006, p. 14). Historically speaking, behaviorism was originated in the 1880s and develops gradually in the twentieth-first century and beyond. Skinner and...
Words: 1083 - Pages: 5
