Behaviorism

Group Three

Chelsey McCurdyErin Seo

Celeste MortellaroBreanna CookseyHayley FriedmanTaran Haecherl

Behaviorism

• Behaviorism is the prediction and control of human behavior in which introspection and/or independent thinking play no essential part of its teaching methods.

• Behaviorism came into vogue during a period of time that coincided with the industrial revolution called modernism in which everything of value (including learning) was measured solely in terms of science.

Behaviorism Continued

• To a behaviorist, human learning is purely an objective and experimental branch of natural science. There is no internal cognitive processing of information.

• Behaviorists recognize that man and animals both learn to behave through a system of positive and negative rewards, called conditioning.

B.F. Skinner

• He became a well known behaviorist.

• He developed the "behavioral technology" that portrayed the his later principles of "behavior control."

Image Source: http://www.skeptically.org/skinner/id3.html

B.F. Skinner continued

• He developed many experiments including the Skinner Box or Operant Chamber, shaping behavior procedure, reinforcers, reinforcement schedules, and operant conditioning.

• He truly believed external forces shaped behavior.

Image source: http://shs.westport.k12.ct.us/jwb/Psychology/LearnIntell/SkinnerBox.htm

Operant Conditioning

• Operant conditioning describes learning that is controlled and results in shaping behavior through the reinforcement of stimulus-response patterns.

• 1) Positive reinforcement (reinforcement): occurs when a behavior (response) is followed by a stimulus that is rewarding, increasing the frequency of that behavior.

• In the Skinner box experiment, a stimulus such as food or sugar solution can be delivered when the rat engages in a target behavior, such as pressing a lever.

Four Contexts of Operant Conditioning

Four Contexts of Operant Conditioning Continued

• 2) Negative reinforcement (escape): occurs when a behavior is followed by the removal of an aversive stimulus, thereby increasing that behavior's frequency.

• In the Skinner box experiment, negative reinforcement can be a loud noise continuously sounding inside the rat's cage until it engages in the target behavior, such as pressing a lever, upon which the loud noise is removed.

Four Contexts of Operant Conditioning Continued

• 3) Positive punishment (punishment): occurs when a behavior is followed by a stimulus, such as introducing a shock or loud noise, resulting in a decrease in that behavior.

• 4) Negative punishment (penalty): occurs when a behavior is followed by the removal of a stimulus, such as taking away a child's toy following an undesired behavior, resulting in a decrease in that behavior.

Image source: "Norway Rat," The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mammals, Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. New York, 1991, picture 140, description p. 512.

What the teacher does under this theory (with and without technology)

• The teacher can set up a reward system in order to have students efficiently accomplish a task or behave in a desired mannerism.

• Examples: give out prizes, homework passes, points towards treasure box, give special computer time with fun educational software and games (Jump Start to…)

What the students do under this theory (with and without technology)

• The students are conditioned to respond when they are given a particular stimulus or motivator, which causes them to behave in the desired manner. Students learn consequences, and the concept of reward and punishment.

• Examples: Taking away recess time• Educational software: giving students reinforcement

for items done correctly (coins, points, tokens, encouraging sayings)

What do you think about the theory for your own teaching

• This theory is very effective; students are reinforced for good behavior, which encourages them to continue that certain behavior.

• Also it sets up a system of rewards that prompts them to behave in a certain way so the students know exactly what is expected of them and what they should expect if they do not respond in the appropriate way.