CONTENTS

EDUP3033  Definition of learning theory

BEHAVIORIST LEARNING THEORIES  Behaviorist learning theories
- Pavlov
- Thorndike
Dr. Mary Wong Siew Lian
- Skinner
Jabatan PIPK
IPG KBL  Implications in T-L, including special
needs students

DEFINITION OF LEARNING THEORY BEHAVIORIST LEARNING THEORIES

 A theory consists of several principles that are
logically related (Jary & Jary, 1995) BEHAVIORIST
THEORIES
 Woolfolk (2004, p. 14) defined theory as “an
integrated statement of principles that attempt
to explain a phenomenon and make
CLASSICAL OPERANT
predictions”
CONDITIONING CONDITIONING
 Theories put forward through the studies of (reflex actions) (voluntary actions)
psychologists are used to explain how human
beings and animals learn
 Pavlov  Thorndike
 Types of learning theories: behaviorist, social,  Skinner
cognitive, constructivist, and humanistic

CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY

Give three examples (in the classroom/school)
where responses to certain stimuli are
automatic
IVAN PAVLOV (1927)
 Pavlov carried out studies involving
salivation of a dog when food was given to
the animal

 The dog learned to link food with the sound

Why and how does this occur? of a bell, tuning fork and light from a lamp

 He put forward the concept of classical

What is the term for this phenomenon?
conditioning
– a form of learning where the organism is
able to create a connection between a
neutral stimulus (bell/tuning fork/lamp) and a
natural stimulus (food/meat)

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 Types of Stimuli

 Neutral stimulus – we will not respond to it

because it has nothing to do with us e.g. BELL

 Unconditioned/Natural stimulus – we will

respond to this stimulus because there is a
natural connection with it e.g. FOOD

 Conditioned stimulus– a neutral stimulus that

appears together with a natural stimulus and
produces a similar response e.g. BELL + FOOD
Pavlov’s Classical Conditioning Experiment

Types of Responses The connection between conditioned

stimulus and conditioned
 Unconditioned response – refers to reflex response
BELL
actions such as:
(conditioned
- feels cold – pull up the blanket stimulus)
- hungry – eat food SALIVATION
- hot/painful – withdraw finger from the fire (conditioned
response)
 Conditioned response – responses that are
learned; they occur as a result of forming an FOOD SALIVATION
association between an unconditioned (unconditioned (unconditioned
response and a neutral response stimulus) response)

Generalization
 When the dog became used to the connection
between bell-food (conditioned stimulus and
response), it will produce a response when it
hears a sound similar to that of a bell ringing
 This shows that the dog has made a
generalization and there is transfer of learning
 Students who are afraid of the math teacher will
be afraid of the subject math as well as all
math teachers
Discrimination
 The dog did not respond to other sounds
 Other sounds were considered neutral stimuli
 For example – a student is afraid of the math
teacher only and not teachers of other
subjects
Extinction
 The disappearance of a conditioned response
when the conditioned stimulus (bell) appears
but is repeatedly not followed by the
unconditioned stimulus (food)

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 Relearning
 If the bell is sounded and meat is again put
before the dog, it will learn again to form the
connection between the bell and food
 In the classroom, relearning is a difficult
process as students have to unlearn what
has taken place
 This process was carried out repeatedly and
the cat managed to get out faster each time
 The connection between the stimulus (fish) S
and the response (pressing the device) (R)
became stronger when there was a positive
effect (getting food)
Positive
strengthened Food
effect
S R
weakened Negative
No food
effect
 There must be readiness in the following
aspects for someone to do something:
- cognitive (knowledge/past experiences)
- affective (inclinations/interest)
- psychomotor (physical skills)
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OPERANT CONDITIONING - THORNDIKE (1906)
 Operant conditioning is about conditioning of
voluntary responses that organisms actively
operate on
 The learning process put forward was
connectionism – forming a relationship
between a stimulus (S) and a response (R)
 Thorndike experimented with a hungry cat - the
cat tried all kinds of ways and finally through
trial-and-error managed to get out of the cage
by pressing a device to open the cage door
Thorndike put forward three laws of learning:
Law of Readiness
 The law of readiness states that a learner's
satisfaction is determined by the extent of his
preparatory set, that is, his readiness for action
 This law was summarized like this:
- When someone is ready to perform an act, to
do so is satisfying
- When someone is ready to perform some act,
not doing so is annoying; An interference
with goal-directed behavior causes frustration,
- Making someone do something he does not
want to do is frustrating
Law of Exercise
 Practice is needed to establish a strong
connection between S-R
 The connection between S-R will weaken or be
forgotten if there is no repetition or exercise
 The teacher should give exercise in various
forms, opportunities to repeat, drilling and
application in new situations to ensure that
what is learned (the association between S-R)
is strengthened and remembered
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 Law of Effect
 The law of effect states that the association
between a stimulus and a response will be
strengthened or weakened depending on
whether a satisfier or an annoyer follows the
response
 The teacher should create a learning
environment where there is feeling of success
and improvement should be given positive
reinforcement
OPERANT CONDITIONING - SKINNER
 People actively ‘operate’ on the environment
to produce different kinds of consequences
 These deliberate actions are called operants
 Emphasized on the consequence (cause and
effect) in learning of a new behavior
 Skinner found that punishment / reward has
an effect on the possibility of a behavior being
repeated or removed
 This theory can be applied to bring about
behavior modification / shaping

The Skinner Box

 Skinner carried out experiments using what is

now called the Skinner Box

 This specially made box has a lever which,

when pressed correctly results in food being
released into the box

 The rat in the box, after many random attempts

finally managed to learn how the device
worked

 When the successful action was rewarded, the

rat repeated the action
SKINNER BOX

 Skinner added lights, electrified floor and Operant conditioning can be summarized as
loudspeaker to the cage to provide follows:
reinforcement for the rat’s actions

 When the lever was pressed, the lamp lighted ANTECEDENT BEHAVIOR CONSEQUENCE
up and food was released into the cage

 The light produced before food was released
served as a conditioned stimulus indicating
that there will be food
 Later, Skinner electrified the floor of the cage
/produced a loud sound through the
loudspeaker when the lever was pressed –
what do you think happened after this?
 Antecedent is the event / environmental
influence that comes before a behavior
 Behavior is what an individual does in that
situation
 Consequence is what results from the behavior

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 Summary of Skinner’s Experiments Reinforcement
Initial Behavior/ Effect of Technique Effect of
behavior action behavior action  Reinforcement is aimed at encouraging desired
Random Accidentally Food Reinforcement Continued behavior so that it will be repeated or continued
pressed the released
lever
Conditioned Pressed the Food Reinforcement Continued  Two types of reinforcements:
lever released
- positive reinforcement – serves as a stimulus
Conditioned Pressed the Food Positive Continued for future behaviors e.g. praise given for good
lever – lamp released reinforcement
lights up behavior

Conditioned Pressed the Food not Negative Not - negative reinforcement – given to discourage
lever – lamp released reinforcement continued
does not light repetition of undesired behavior
up
e.g. reprimand given for bad behavior
Conditioned Pressed the Food not Punishment Not
lever – electric released continued
shock!

Punishment CONSEQUENCES OF BEHAVIOR

 Punishment is aimed at reducing the possibility

REINFORCEMENT PUNISHMENT
of occurrence of undesired behavior

 Two types of punishment:

POSITIVE NEGATIVE PRESENTATION REMOVAL
- Presentation punishment - decreasing the
chances that an undesired behavior (failed a
test) will occur again by presenting an Student Teacher Naughty Failed a test
aversive stimulus (study extra hrs) following gives scolds an student is no TV for
the behavior correct inattentive canned one week
answer student

- Removal punishment – decreasing the

chances that an undesired behavior (failed a Student Student
Student pays
Teacher stops being studies
test) will occur again by removing a pleasant praises
attention,
more
teacher does naughty
stimulus (no TV for a wk) following the him diligently
not scold him
behavior

Reinforcement
Positive Reinforcement REINFORCEMENT EXAMPLES OF TEACHER ACTIONS
Schedules
CONTINUOUS Teacher gives praise each time there is
Continuous Intermittent good behavior
FIXED RATIO For each five correct answers, a token
Interval Schedule Ratio Schedule is given that can be exchanged for an
object/activity that the student likes
VARIABLE RATIO Raise the hand to answer a question
Fixed Intervals Fixed Ratio posed by the teacher, but the chance of
being allowed to answer is not assured
FIXED INTERVALS Students know that they will have to sit
Variable Intervals Variable Ratio for a test at the end of every month

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 REINFORCEMENT EXAMPLES OF TEACHER ACTIONS IMPLICATIONS OF BEHAVIORIST THEORIES ON T-L

VARIABLE Students are unsure when the teacher  Give continuous reinforcement when
INTERVALS will give a test or quiz developing desired behavior

 What is the effect of each type of reinforcement  Give intermittent reinforcement (intervals/ratio)
on students’ behavior and motivation to learn? when students have mastered the behavior

 Which type of reinforcement is most suitable  Apply law of readiness: relate new content to
if the teacher wants to keep students motivated prior knowledge, arouse curiosity / motivation
to learn? to learn

 Apply law of exercise: do revision, drilling,

different type of exercise

 Apply law of effect: have reinforcement

activities, punishment / reward where suitable ACTIVITY

o Give daily examples of behaviorist learning

 Practice classroom discipline: learning
in the classroom
routines, ground rules, group activities
o What are the implications of principles of
conditioning on the T-L process of children
DISCUSSION with special needs?
What adaptations would you make for special
needs students?

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