...Classroom Management Theorists and Theories/Burrhus Frederic Skinner < Classroom Management Theorists and Theories Contents 1 Overview of Skinner's Theories of Classroom Management 2 Implementation of Skinner's Theories 3 Critique of Skinner's Theories 4 Questions for Consideration 5 References Overview of Skinner's Theories of Classroom Management[edit] The Theory Skinner believed that the goal of psychology should be practical (Lieberman, 2000). As it relates to education, Skinner believed the goal of psychology should be to find ways to make education enjoyable and effective for all students. His learning theory relied on the assumption that the best way to modify behavior was to modify the environment. Skinner was a proponent for many instructional strategies that modern day “progressive” educational reformers advocate for: scaffold instruction, small units, repetition and review of instructions, and immediate feedback. Skinner did not approve of the use of punishments in school, or as a behavioral modification technique in general, and based these opinions on his own empirical research that found punishments to be ineffective (Lieberman, 2000). Skinner himself advocated for the frequent use of reinforcement (i.e. rewards) to modify and influence student behavior. Skinner’s primary contribution to behavioral management philosophy has been from his research on operant conditioning and reinforcement schedules. An operant is a behavior that acts on the surrounding...
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...Perspectives Paper December 17, 2012 Behavioral psychology, also known as behaviorism, is a perspective that became dominant during the early half of the 20th century thanks to prominent thinkers such as B.F. Skinner, and John B. Watson. The basis of behavioral psychology suggests that all behaviors are learned. Conditioning is the process of learning to react to the environment. Many theorists contributed to the theories of classical and operant conditioning, some theorists being Skinner, Watson, and Tolman. Each theorist contributed their own theories proven to impact a part of psychology. Many behaviors have been previously conditioned in the human species by the environment. Skinner, Watson, and Tolman all made their contributions to psychology with theories and proven statistics. John B. Watson John Watson proposed the idea of an objective psychology of behavior called "behaviorism." He saw psychology as the study of people's actions with the ability to predict and control those actions. His idea became known as “the behaviorists” theory (Goodwin. 2008). Theorists such as Skinner, Watson, and Tolman all had one common idea; that psychology was defined as the natural science of behavior, objective in its study, and was a pattern of adjustment functionally dependent upon stimulus conditions in the environment, and was emphasized in theory and research. Watson also used animal subjects...
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...This essay has 2462 words ‘Behaviourists explain maladaptive behaviour in terms of the learning principles that sustain and maintain it. Discuss this statement and show how a behaviourists approach to therapy is in stark contrast to a psychoanalytic one’ Behaviorism was originally founded by John B. Watson who believed that behavior had the means to be measured, trained and changed (1913) The Behavioural theory is firstly based on experiment and secondly by describing how human behaviour is learnt through principles and rules. Maladaptive behaviour is when an individual is unable to adjust to situations; psychologists use this term to describe patterns of emotional disturbance. Both behavioural and psychoanalytic psychologists use this in different ways. The behavioural theory is based on two main factors being biological drives such as primitive needs and sex drive and what is learnt. The three main principles in the behavioural theory are Stimuli, response and conditioning. Behaviour is believed to be a conditioned response to an environmental stimulus. Individuals are obliged to react to stimuli using their senses such as seeing and hearing. There are short lived unlearned behaviours such as suckling and unlearned grasping. Responses are overt and implicit, learned or unlearned. Response can be foreseen if stimuli are available and stimuli can be predicted from the response. Unlearned responses are automatic such as breathing heavily and perspiring when running. Unlearned...
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...B. F. Skinner An Inspiration in Psychology Kimberly Whitmore PSY3421, Psychology of Learning and Motivation Abstract Burrhus Fredrick Skinner, a son, literary writer, husband, father and most important an inspiration in the psychology world. B.F. Skinner born March 20, 1904, in a small railroad town in Pennsylvania, was a creative child who liked to think out side the box. Skinner was a behaviorist, which means he seeks out the explanation to human behavior not in the mind but outside within the environment that collectively determines behavior. In the opinion of his professional peers, he was the most influential psychologist in the country. Over his career in Psychology, Skinner also faced criticisms, especially when it came to the Air Crib. Skinner was a revolution to the times in psychology, with his research, his workings with the military, experiments on dogs, pigeons and rodents to his observational findings. His philosophies of behaviorism still play a major part in the psychology world today. Skinner is the most important American psychologist of the twentieth century, and arguably the most important world psychologist. No issue seemed too large or too small for his observant eye and his analytic insights. 1. A Skinner Family Background. 2. How did Skinner make his way in to Psychology? 3. What is the cumulative recorder? 4. What is the operant conditioning chamber; also know as Skinner’s Box? 5. What is operant behavior? 6. The Air...
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...Learning Personality Theories Learning Team C PSY/405 Theories of Personality January 23, 2012 Professor XXXXX Learning Personality Theories Personalities develop and learn from observing others, society, experiences, and the environment. Different theories have been created to explain how a person learns and develops. Three learning personality theories discussed here are the behavioral analysis theory, the social cognitive theory, and the cognitive social learning theory. The strengths and limitations of the three theories will be analyzed that will provide small, but noticeable edges on the other. A description of how each theory affects personality will be discussed. In closing, an explanation of how each learning theory proposes interpersonal relationships are influenced will be examined. Strengths and Limitations Behavioral Analysis Theory An advantage of the behavioral analysis theory is that it is based on observable evidence. This theory contains important concepts such as reinforcement, used as effective therapies to treat undesirable behaviors. Although proven to be an effective therapeutic theory it has many weaknesses. It does not account for learning that does not involve negative or positive reinforcement, nor does it explain adaptive behavior. Proponents of this theory also argue that this approach is too deterministic and cannot be accurate, as it does not account for free will or emotion (Feist & Feist, 2009). Social Cognitive Theory Much...
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...question of psychology is to identify them as major perspectives. The major perspectives represent fundamental assumptions that underlie the research questions and methods that are used in order to answer the questions of psychology. Most all perspectives define psychology as the discipline interested in studying human behavior and mental processes, but that covers a lot of ground and the causes of behavior and mental processes are not always clear. Why People Behave the Way They Do There are many areas of psychology. The field of human development is divided into different theory groups. The groups that will be discussed in this paper are psychodynamic, biological, cognitive, and behavioral. Each theory group has many contributing theorists, all with different views, beliefs, research methods, and life experiences. All theories are valuable in the field of psychology, however some theories may prove to be more helpful than others, in specific careers. The psychodynamic theory of human development’s main focus is personality and social development. It is based on the belief that the mind is divided into two parts, the conscious and the unconscious. The theorist’s believe that development occurs in stages, for one to develop a healthy and positive personality or identity all stages must be completed successfully. Sigmund Freud is a major contributor to the field of psychology; he developed the id, ego, and superego, which are described as three elements of personality. Freud...
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...But, the sad thing is that it can be lost if we do not use these new develop skills. The way we learn is by seeing, touching, hearing, tasting, and smelling. Our five basic senses help us to experience change, without them learning would be difficult. There are three major theories that help contribute to the learning process, classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and neobehaviorism. Although they share some similarities, they are different when it comes to performance. Classical conditioning is learning that comes from experience, operant conditioning is behavior that has been reinforce through some type of punishment, and neobehaviorism is a phenomena that cannot be measured and observed directly. But these three theories have theorist who have found ways to demonstrate them in their studies. classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and neobehaviorism are theories that help shape our learn process through performance. II Body Paragraph # 1: classical conditioning Topic Sentence 1: Classical conditioning is a form of learning in which an organism comes to associate certain events. It was revealed by Ivan Petrovich Pavlov a psychologist from Russia. Pavlov had a passion for physiology; it stuck with him throughout his life. He also developed surgical procedures for measuring salivary in dogs. Pavlov's research led him to create a science of conditioned reflexes. Through this study it had led to five basic principles which are; the unconditioned stimulus, the unconditioned...
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...learning as experiences that become embedded into their memory having lasting effects. Others may think of learning as how they acquire new information and their ability to apply memory that has been stored overtime. While learning has often been defined in many ways, the basic element in the learning process is how people acquire knowledge and how it is maintained to produce changes in behavior. Learning is the fundamental nature of human functioning. This reflective paper presents a broad scope of theoretical concepts from Gregory Kimble, B.F. Skinner and Jean Piaget. The central focus of this paper is aspects of Albert Bandura’s observational, social learning and social cognitive theories; Bandura’s contributions to psychology; his critics and my personal response to Bandura’s theories. Introduction Many theories throughout the years have been proposed to explain human behavior. Until recent times, some theorists held the belief that motivational forces in the forms of drives, needs and impulses, usually operating below the level of consciousness were the most important determinants. Since proponents of this school of thought considered the principal causes of behavior to be forces within an individual, this is where...
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...Personality: Theories Chapter: Personality Theories 429 Personality: Theories What Is "Personality"? Psychologists' Usage of Personality Elements of Personality Techniques of Study Theories of Personality Trait Theories Psychoanalytic Theory Central elements of Psychoanalysis Psychoanalytic Personality Structure Instincts in Psychoanalysis Other Psychodynamic Theorists (Social-) Learning Theories Dollard/Miller's Stimulus-Response Theory B. F. Skinner and Personality as Behavior Bandura and Social Learning Self-Growth Theories Carl Rogers and Person-Centered Theory Maslow's Holistic Theory A Modern Theory of Personality: Big Five USING PSYCHOLOGY: What Determines Your Personality -Heredity? Environment? USING PSYCHOLOGY: What Determines Your Personality -Heredity and Environment REVIEW ACTIVITIES INTERESTED IN MORE? Personality: Theories WHAT'S THE ANSWER? "I'm really jealous of my sister. Here I am about to graduate, and I only made it into the Student Association this year. Sis's a freshman -- a frosh -- and she's already been elected." "Wilma, I know what you mean. My older brother was the same way. You know what your sister and my brother have in common? They've both got a lot of personality. Your sister kind of just radiates charm -- even for a first-year student! And Kirk's the same way: Everywhere he goes, people smile with him. He gushes at the right time, gets serious when he needs to, and always has a good word for everybody. He's just got a PSYCHOLOGY: ...
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... Personality also refers to someone’s public image (blog. tiptaplab.com). The word personality is a Latin word personae, which is the mask actors wore in ancient Greek plays. They changed personae to let audience know they were assuming different roles (www.reading fanatic.com). Key contributors of Personality There are several contributors to school of personality psychology who explore personality in different contexts. They include Gordon Alport, who believed personality is something within an individual that leads to characteristics of behaviour and thought. Carl Rogers on the other hand thought it is a self organized consistent pattern of perception of the I, me, that lies at the heart of an individual’s experience. B.F. Skinner was of the opinion that the word personality is not needed to understand human behaviour (Caprara & Cevone, 2000). The unconscious mind is one of the most notable contributions to the field of personality according to Sigmund Freud. His defence mechanism explanation is widely accepted as a...
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...be objectively measured or observed by others (Smith et al, 1998). The concept of behaviourism as a formal school of psychology was introduced by the American psychologist, JB Watson in 1919 (Carlson et al, (2000). Following a series of experiments he conducted on animals which included cats, dogs, monkeys and rats, he came to the conclusion that psychology should not be concerned with the mind or the consciousness. He suggested that psychologists should instead focus on the external observations on the behaviour of animals or humans in order to understand how the environment influences the subject’s behaviour (Smith et al, 1998). Watson, along with fellow researchers such as Pavlov and Skinner, began to develop a framework which emphasised observable processes such as environmental stimuli and behavioural responses (Gross, 2003). This approach became known as Behaviourism and it soon began to take over the work of the early introspectionist psychologists by arguing that the...
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...definition of personality. Psychologists provide many definitions of personality, each from a perspective different from the others. Although each personality theorist maintains his or her view of personality, few precisely have defined it (Feist & Feist, 2009). To define personality formally would be an extremely difficult task for multiple reasons. First, no two people have the same personalities. Although no single definition of personality exists, most agree that personality is linked to unique characteristics and permanent traits, also that it represents the totality of one’s being. According to Feist and Feist (2009), an individual’s traits are contributing factors to the differences in behavior from one individual to the next. Although, some individuals may have some of the same traits, the pattern is unique for each individual. Therefore each individual has a matchless personality. Characteristics are unique among individuals as well, including aspects such as physique, temperament, and also intelligence (Feist & Feist, 2009). According to Revelle (1995), in studying personality many theoretical approaches are used. Some approaches used in studying personality are biological theories, behavioral theories, psychodynamic theories, humanistic theories, and trait theories. Hans Eysenck was a significant biological theorist. Eysenck, along with other...
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...There is nothing more amazing than the growth and development of a child. Several researchers have dedicated years to the study of child development to help us better understand this amazing time in their lives. Though there are many theorists and different branches of their theories, they are narrowed into three categories, maturationist, environmentalist, and constructivist. These three theories allow us to analyze childhood development and better understand how children grow and learn. Although there are many differences in these theories, there are also some similarities. In this paper I will discuss how these theories relate and differ with regards to a child’s development. How do these theories help us understand our children and how they grow and learn? I will also discuss the importance of physical, emotional and cognitive development, to the overall development of a child and why it is imperative for us to not only understand how they develop but how we can help foster that growth. A child begins to develop while in the mother’s womb. The genetics (the makeup) of the child are already in place. (Papalia, Olds, Feldman, 2008) The child inherits genes from both mother and father. Piaget was probably one of most influential cognitive theorists. Piaget was a constructivist which means basically that learning occurs from actions rather than as a result of actions. Cognition generally refers to any intellectual process within the human experience. These processes include...
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...University of Phoenix Material Introduction to Psychology Worksheet Complete each part with 100- to 200-word responses. Your responses must total 500 to 800-words for the entire worksheet. Part I: Origins of Psychology Within psychology, several perspectives are used to describe, predict, and explain human behavior. Describe three major psychological perspectives and name at least one leading theorist for each. Three major psychological perspectives are behavioral, sociocultural, and cognitive. The behavioral perspective views behavior as the result of environment experience. Environmental experience is basically all of a person’s life experiences that they have been subjected to in the past, and also the new experiences that will take part in their behavior. The behavioral perspective gained great momentum in the 20th century because it was a powerful tool in training, education, and industry. Critics claimed that behaviorism was dehumanizing. (John B. Watson, http://www.ccis.edu/, 5/17/13) and others conducted a thorough explication of Classical Conditioning and B. F. Skinner, responding somewhat to the critics of behaviorisms dehumanization, explained and expertly defended the processes of Operant Conditioning. Basically based off of a person’s environment will depict the way that they may behave. The cognitive perspective focuses mainly on the cognitive processes that are involved in learning, also on how a person’s brain works. It’s a form of psychology that examines...
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...psychodynamics and the first to study human development and the inner working of the mind and since then child development has become a crucial aspect in virtually every field of psychology due to several influencing factors on childhood growth and experience (DeVitis, 2011). The stage theories are significant tools in understanding the psychology of human development. Each theorist offers logically uncomplicated justifications of human behavior. However, unanswered questions still arise as to how accurate a theory based on characterizing human behavior in general can be when applied to one particular individual. This paper will discuss and compare the evolutionary/Sociobiological, learning, and psychoanalytical theories and their similarities and differences in the overall development of the child (Savania, & all). Sigmund Freud who is often the most well-known person in the field of Psychology introduced the psychoanalytical theory. Freud believed that our subconscious and ego controlled much of our behavior. The learning theory, that was introduced, by Ivan Pavlov, B.F. Skinner, and John B. Watson, is that theory focuses on the fact that we learn by observing and behavior. Conditioning behavior was a large part of this theory in that a person can be taught certain...
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