Behaviourism

What is behaviorism all about?

Behavior is the response of an organism to stimuli.
The learner starts off as a clean slate (i.e. tabula rasa).
Behaviourism is a worldview that assumes a learner is essentially passive, responding to environmental
stimuli.
Behaviourism, behaviours are acquired through conditioning. Conditioning occurs through interaction with
the environment.
According to behaviourism, behaviour can be studied in a systematic and observable manner with no
consideration of internal mental states.

Two types of behaviour

Involuntary--reexes, physiological states (e.g. heart rate,
often associated with emotions)
Classical conditioning
Stimuli from environment paired with reex or physiological
state to form conditioned physical or emotional responses.
Voluntary-purposeful activity behaviour to get something
Operant conditioning
Behaviour changes that are in response to consequences.

The behaviourists
Theorists

Topics

Ivan Pavlov

Classical conditioning

John B. Watson

Conditioning

Edward L. Thorndike

Stimulus response

B. F. Skinner

Operant conditioning

Albert Bandura

Social learning - modelling

Classical Conditioning
Pavlov (1927), a Russian physiologist discovered
classical
conditioning in dogs.

What is Classical Conditioning?

Also known as respondent conditioning refers to a form of
learning that occurs through the repeated association of 2 or
more different stimuli.
In classical condition, a response that is automatically produced
by one stimulus becomes associated, or linked, with another
stimulus that would not normally produce this response.

Stimulus
Response

Key Elements of
Classical Conditioning

1. Unconditioned Stimulus
The unconditioned
stimulus (US) is any
stimulus that
consistently
produces a
particular, naturally
occurring,
automatic
response.
In Pavlovs
experiment, the US

2. Unconditioned Response
The unconditioned
response (UR) is the
response that occurs
automatically when the
US is presented.
A UR is a reexive,
involuntary response that
is predictably caused by
a US.
In Pavlovs experiments,
the UR was the
salivation.

3. Conditioned Stimulus
The conditioned
stimulus (CS) is the
stimulus that is neutral
at the start of the
conditioning process
and does not normally
produce the UR.
Yet, through repeated
association with the
US, the CS triggers a
very similar response
to that caused by the
US.

Association refers to the

pairing or linking of 1
stimulus with another
stimulus.
Once conditioning has
occurred and the originally
neutral stimulus produces
the response of salivating,
then it is called the CS.

4. Conditioned Response
The conditioned
response (CR) is the
learned response that
is produced by the CS.
The CR occurs after the
CS has been
associated with the
UCS.
The behaviour involved
in a CR is very similar
to that of the UR, but it
is triggered by the CS

Pavlovs dogs
displayed a CR
(salivation) only when
they began to salivate
to a CS.
When the dog
responded to a CS,
such as the sound of a
bell, classical
conditioning had taken
place because
salivation would not be
a usual response to the
sound of a bell.

Ivan Pavlov's Classical Conditioning

Before
Conditioning
Unconditioned
Stimulus

Neutral Stimulus

Unconditioned
Response

No Response

Ivan Pavlov's Classical Conditioning

During Conditioning

Unconditioned

Neutral

Stimulus

Stimulus

Unconditione
d
Response

Ivan Pavlov's Classical Conditioning

After Conditioning

Conditioned

Conditioned

Stimulus

Response

Another example

The process of classical conditioning

1. Before conditioning
.unconditioned stimulus (US)
.Unconditioned response (UR)
2. During conditioning
.Neutral stimulus (NS)
.Unconditioned stimulus (US)
.Unconditioned response (UR)
3. After conditioning
.Conditioned stimulus (CS)
.Conditioned response (CR)

Discussion: As a teacher, how to

trains children tidy up the toys
with classical conditioning?

Examples of Classical Conditioning

School bell rings, children slide papers into
desk and put on their backpacks.
Barney the song Happy
family.mean?
The point is, we learn to associate a
stimulus with a response, and eventually our
body does this automatically in the presence
of the stimulus. Our response is
involuntary.

Classical Conditioning
..
Classical conditioning can face extinction,
where the learning is undone.

Elimination of CR by presentation of
CS alone
Pavlov rings bell, no food
Remember: Classical conditioning is more
than forming an association it is an
involuntary, physiological response

B.F. Skinner

(1904

American psychologist
- inuential from the
1990)
1930s - 60s developed operant
conditioning
Skinner was interested in education
He believed that behavior is sustained by
reinforcements or rewards, not by free will.
Famous for the skinner box & the teaching
machine
Often worked with pigeons & rats and applied
what
he learned with these animals to human
learning

Operant Conditioning
(Skinner)
This involves conditioning voluntary,
controllable behaviors.
With Operant Conditioning the Response
comes before the Stimulus.

Response

Stimulus

Skinners Operant Conditioning

Positive
Reinforceme
nt
Negative
Reinforceme
nt
Positive
Punishment
Negative
Punishment

Presence of
Pleasant
Stimulus
Absence of
Unpleasant Stimulus

Presence of
Unpleasant
Stimulus
Absence of Unpleasant
Stimulus

Behavior
Increases

Behavior
Decreases

B. F. Skinner (1904 1990)

Operant conditioning is a method of learning that
occurs through rewards and punishments for behavior.
Reinforcementis any event that strengthens or
increases the behavior it follows.
Punishment, on the other hand, is the presentation of
an adverse event or outcome that causes a decrease
in the behavior it follows.

Operant conditioning
There are two kinds of reinforces:
Positive reinforcesare favorable events or outcomes that are
presented after the behavior. A response or behavior is
strengthened by the addition of something.
Example: Teacher praises a child who helps her carry the books.
Negative reinforcesinvolve the removal of an unfavorable
events or outcomes after the display of a behavior. A response is
strengthened by the removal of something considered
unpleasant.
Example: Ann finished homework on time, mother allow Ann no
need to do extra worksheet.

Operant conditioning
There are two kinds of punishment:
Positive punishment, involves the presentation of an unfavorable event or
outcome in order to weaken the response it follows. A response is decreased
by the give something considered unpleasant.
Example: Hannah draw at the classroom wall, teacher reprimands Hannah
with give a task to her which clean the classroom wall.
Negative punishment, also known as punishment by removal, occurs when
a favorable event or outcome is removed after a behavior occurs. A response
is decreased by the removal something considered pleasant.
Example: After Wendy getting in a fight with her sister over who gets to
play with a new toy, the mother simply takes the toy away.

Shaping New Behaviors

Shaping is a process of reinforcing a series of
responses that increasingly resemble the
desired final behavior
When a desired behavior occurs rarely or not
at all, we use shaping
First reinforce any response that in some way
resembles the desired behavior, then one that is
closer etc.
Think of animal training or the hyper kid who cant
sit in his chair in class do things in small steps

Differences Between
Negative Reinforcement &
Punishment
Negative reinforcement: Something
unpleasant is removed & as a result you are
more likely to do it again
Something happened that was good

Punishment: A consequence happens that

you dont like and you are less likely to do it
again. The punishment can add something or
take something away.
Something happened that was bad

Critiques of
Behaviorism
External rewards may diminish intrinsic motivation
Studies where participants work on an interesting
task (ex: puzzles) - experimental group is given a
reward when finished while the control group is
not.
After initial period, during a non-rewarded time
participants are given a choice between
continuing to work on the task or switching to
another activity. Typical result is that participants
in the experimental group spend less time on the
activity than the control group. This is taken as
indicating that reward reduces intrinsic motivation.
Pizza Hut used to give away free pizza to kids who
read a certain number of pages. This practice was

More Critiques
Behaviorism doesnt account for anything
that isnt an observable behavior
There has to be more going on than what is
observable - doesnt there?

Behaviorism only accounts for learning

through direct experience with the
environment (not observational learning)

Application to teaching
Classical Conditioning
Use attractive learning aids.
Decorate the classrooms.
Encourage students to work in small groups for difficult learning tasks.
Greet the students and smile at them when he comes to the
classroom.
Inform the students clearly and specifically the format of quizzes,
tests, and examinations.
Make the students understand the rules of the classrooms.
Give ample time for students to prepare for and complete the learning
tasks.

Application to teaching
Operant conditioning
Recognize and reinforce positive behaviours and task accomplishments.
Use various types of reinforcement such as teacher approval (praise,
smiles, attention, and pats on the shoulder), concrete reinforcement
(cookies, candies, and stationeries) and privileges (longer recess time
and more time with friends).
Reinforce good behaviours and punish bad ones consistently.
Use schedule of reinforcement, such as surprise rewards, to encourage
persistence.
Use positive punishment as the last option.
Use negative punishment, such as detention class, instead.
Tell the students which behaviour is being punished.

Albert Bandura - Modelling

Modelling observational learning.
Children acquire experiences and knowledge through
imitate.

Basic Processes of Observational Learning

1. Attentional Processes
(attend to and accurately
perceive models behavior)

4. Motivational Processes
(if positive reinforcement is
potentially available, enact the
modeled behavior)

2. Retention Processes

3. Motor Reproduction Processes

(remember the
models behavior)

(translate symbolically coded

memories of the models behavior
into new response patterns)

The Bobo Doll Study

Albert Banduras Bobo doll study in 1961 was a classic study that
demonstrates the social learning theory. The study showed that
after viewing adults strike and kick a Bobo doll, children would
imitate the behavior in another environment. This was important,
as it suggests that the violence could be imitated by viewers.
Results showed 88% of the children imitated aggressive behavior
following the viewing of the tape of adults acting aggressively
toward the doll.
8 months later 40% of the same children reproduced the violent
behavior observed in the Bobo doll experiment.

The Bobo Doll Study (cont.)

The children were shown
three different endings to
the video. The video first
showed that the adults
were praised for their
aggressive behavior. The
second group the adult was
told to sit in a corner. The
third group showed the
adult walk out of the room.
While controversial,
Bandura maintained that
his experiment
demonstrated that children
are inuenced by
witnessing or modeling of
aggression in others.

Video Bobo doll study

Gardner and Multiple

Intelligences Theory

Introduction
The theory of multiple intelligences was developed in 1983
by Dr. Howard Gardner, professor of education at Harvard
University. It suggests that the traditional notion of
intelligence, based on I.Q. testing, is far too limited. Instead,
Dr. Gardner proposes nine different intelligences to account
for a broader range of human potential in children and
adults.

What is intelligence?
An intelligence is the ability to solve problems, or to create
products, that are valued within one or more cultural
settings.
-- Howard Gardner
Definition:
The ability to create an effective product or offer a service
that is valued in a culture;
A set of skills that make it possible for a person to solve
problems in life;
The potential for finding or creating solutions for problems,

Comparison traditional intelligence

with multiple intelligence
Traditional intelligence

Multiple intelligence

Intelligence can be measured by shortanswer tests such as IQ test.

Assessment based on individual

performance or called as performance
based assessment.

People are born with a fixed amount of

intelligence.

Human beings have all of the intelligences,

but each person has a unique combination,
or profile.

Intelligence level does not change over a

lifetime.

We can all improve each of the

intelligences, though some people will
improve more readily in one intelligence
area than in others.

Intelligence consists of ability in logic and

language.

We can all improve each of the

intelligences, though some people will
improve more readily in one intelligence
area than in others.

Cont
Traditional Intelligence

Multiple Intelligence

In traditional practice, teachers teach the

same material to everyone

M.I. pedagogy implies that teachers teach

and assess differently based on individual
intellectual strengths and weaknesses.

Teachers teach a topic or "subject.

Teachers structure learning activities

around an issue or question and connect
subjects. Teachers develop strategies that
allow for students to demonstrate multiple
ways of understanding and value their
uniqueness.

Gardners nine intelligences

TheMultipleIntelligencesare:
Verbal/LinguisticIntelligencewordsmart
LogicalmathematicalIntelligencenumber/reasoningsmart
Visual/SpatialIntelligencepicturesmart
Bodily/KinestheticIntelligencebodysmart
Musical/RhythmicIntelligencemusicsmart
InterpersonalIntelligencepeoplesmart
IntrapersonalIntelligenceselfsmart
NaturalistIntelligencenaturesmart
ExistentialIntelligencethinksmart

Gardners nine intelligences

Linguistic Intelligence
The capacity to use language to express what's on your
mind and to understand other people.
Implication: Provide opportunities for speaking in front
of classroom.
Future:Poets,writers,newscasters

Gardners nine intelligences

Logical/Mathematical Intelligence
The capacity to understand the underlying principles of
some kind of causal system, the way a scientist or a
logician does; or to manipulate numbers, quantities,
and operations, the way a mathematician does.
Implication: Incorporate puzzles into learning centers.
Future:accounting,banking,medicine,scientificresearch

Gardners nine intelligences

Musical Rhythmic Intelligence
Thinks in tones, learns through rhythm and melody,
enjoys playing musical instruments, remembers songs,
and notices nonverbal sounds in the environment.
Implication: Singing nursery rhymes, let children explore
different musical instruments with five senses.
Future: musiccomposers,musicteachers,musicaltheatre.

Gardners nine intelligences

Visual / Spatial
Learning visually and organizing ideas spatially. Seeing
concepts in action in order to understand them, the
ability to see things in ones mind in planning to
create a product or solve a problem.
Implication: Provide a visually stimulating environment
such as decorate classroom with chart. Using picture to
make explanation.
Future:artists,architecture,advertising

Gardners nine intelligences

Bodily/Kinesthetic Intelligence
The capacity to use your whole body or parts of your
body (your hands, your fingers, your arms) to solve a
problem, make something, or put on some kind of
production.
Implication: Provide hands-on activity in learning
activity.
Future:dancers,dramaticacting,mime,physicaleducation

Gardners nine intelligences

Naturalist Intelligence
Iinvestigates, experiments, questions, and finds out
about elements of the phenomena of the natural world,
weather patterns, growing things, animals, conditions
that change characteristics (water changes from liquid
to solid when frozen).
Implication: Provide outdoor activity to children,
observing at the natural.
Future: Farmers,gardeners,florists,geologist.

Gardners nine intelligences

Intrapersonal Intelligence
Eenjoys working independently, likes to be alone,
appears to be self-motivated, and needs quiet space
and time.
Implication: Prepare a quiet corner (near language
center) in the classroom. Include daily journal writing or
self reection activity.
Future: Psychiatryandspiritualcounseling.

Gardners nine intelligences

Interpersonal Intelligence
Uunderstands and cares about people, is the social
child, has lots of friends, and learns from cooperative
learning experiences, and likes group games.
Implication: Provide group activity to children,
encourage children interact during group activity.
Future: counseling,politics,sociologists,therapists.

Gardners nine intelligences

Existential Intelligence
The ability and inclination to pose (and ponder)
questions about life, death, and ultimate realities.
Children who learn in the context of where humankind.
Implication: Integrate social studies topic with all
subject, provide discussion activity about humankind
with children.
Future: philosopher,priest,theorist.

Application to teaching
Integrated curriculum.
Hands on activities.
Performance based assessment.
Consider childs background.
Positive expectation to all individual.

Urie Bronfenbrenner
(1917 2005)
Ecological Systems Theory

Urie Bronfenbrenner (1917 2005)

Ecological Systems Theory childrens development greatly
inuenced by the environment.

It identifies five
environmental systems:
1. Microsystem
2. Mesosystem
3. Exosystem
4. Macrosystem
5. Chronosystem

That an individual interacts

with:
a. School
b. Neighborhood
c. Church
d. their family
e. their peers.

Urie Bronfenbrenner (1917 2005)

Microsystem
encompasses the environment of parents,
family, peers, child care, schools, neighborhood,
religious groups, parks etc.
The environment setting where the child spends
most of their time.
Bi-directional relationships are the foundation
for a childs cognitive and emotional growth.

Urie Bronfenbrenner (1917 2005)

Mesosystem
Links or interaction between microsystems.
Relate to all of environmental inuences in the
microsystems.
Examples:
Interactions between the family and teachers.
Relationship between the childs peers and the family.

Urie Bronfenbrenner (1917 2005)

Exosystem
Social setting in which children do not play
active role but institutions of society that
indirectly affect a childs development.
Examples
Parents workplace
Funding for education

Impacts a childs development by inuencing

structures in the microsystem

Urie Bronfenbrenner (1917

2005)
Macrosystem
Describes the culture in which individuals live
such as democracy, national economy,
Eastern/Western culture, political culture.
Provides the values, beliefs, customs, and laws
of the culture in which a child grows up
Inuences how parents, teachers, and others raise a child
May be conscious or unconscious

Example: contemporary society violence and

media violence. As a result, many children are
becoming violent and many children are fearful
of and threatened by violence.

Urie Bronfenbrenner (1917 2005)

Chronosystem
The environmental contexts and events that
inuence children over their lifetimes, such as
divorce.
Temporal changes in life events.
Example: divorces are one transition.

Applications to teaching
Teacher-parent relationship.
Provide healthy environment to children.
Event integrate the community.
Advocate childs welfare.

Abraham Maslow (1908

1970)

Abraham Maslow (1908 1970

Maslows Hierarchy of Needs, human needs are:
Life essentials (basic needs), such as food and water.
Safety and security
Belonging and love
Achievement and prestige
Self actualization
the most basic level of needs must be met before the individual will strongly desire
(or focus motivation upon) the secondary or higher level needs

Maslows Hierarchy of
Needs
NEED
SELFACTUALIZATION

ESTEEM NEEDS

LOVE, AFFECTION, AND

BELONGINGNESS NEEDS

SAFETY NEEDS

PHYSIOLOGICAL OR SURVIVAL NEEDS

Abraham Maslow (1908 1970

The physiological needs.
Physiological needs are the physical requirements for human survival.
For example:
Food
Water
Oxygen
Sleep
Protection from extreme temperatures
Elimination
Sensory needs
Motor needs

Abraham Maslow (1908 1970

The safety and security needs
The need to be free from anxiety and fear
The need to be secure in the environment
The need for order and routine
Safety and Security needs include:
Personal security
Financial security
Health and well-being
Safety net against accidents/illness and their adverse impacts

Abraham Maslow (1908 1970)

The love and belonging needs.
Social acceptance, friendship, to be loved
Need to belong, to relate to others.
Humans need to love and be loved (sexually and non-sexually) by others.
In the absence of these elements, many people become susceptible to
loneliness, social anxiety, and clinical depression.

Abraham Maslow (1908

1970)
Esteem
Maslow noted two versions of esteem needs, a lower one and a higher one.
The lower one is the need for the respect of others, the need for status, recognition, fame,
prestige, and attention.
The higher one is the need for self-respect, the need for strength, competence, mastery,
self-confidence, independence and freedom.
Deprivation of these needs can lead to an inferiority complex, weakness and
helplessness.
Feeling important and worthwhile includes respect, approval, appreciation.
We engage in activities that bring achievement, success, and recognition.

Abraham Maslow (1908 1970)

Self-actualization
This level of need pertains to what a person's full
potential is and realizing that potential.
the desire to become more and more what one is, to
become everything that one is capable of becoming
This is a broad definition of the need for selfactualization, but when applied to individuals the need is
specific.

Suggestions for Application of

Maslow's Theory to Education
Physiological
reduced & free lunch programs
correct room temperatures
bathroom breaks
drink breaks

Suggestions for Application of

Maslow's Theory to Education
Safety
well planned lessons, carried out in an orderly fashion
controlled classroom behaviors
emergency procedures well planned, discussed & practiced
fair discipline
consistent expectations
attitude of teacher: accepting & nonjudgmental, pleasant,
nonthreatening
provide praise for correct responses instead of punishment for
incorrect responses

Suggestions for Application of

Maslow's Theory to Education
Love & Belonging
With regard to teacher-student
relationships
use one-on-one instruction
provide positive comments & feedback
rather than negative
get to know students (likes, dislikes,
concerns)
be available for students in need
listen to students
be supportive, have personal helpers on
rotating basis.
show that you value students thoughts,
opinions & judgments

With regard to student-student

relationships
class discussions
peer tutoring
provide situations requiring mutual trust
Show & tell, sharing

Suggestions for Application of

Maslow's Theory to Education
Esteem
Self-esteem
pace instruction to fit individual need
focus on strengths & assets
take individual needs & abilities into account
when planning lessons and carrying them out
teach & model learning strategies
base new teaching, strategies & plans on
learning outcomes
be alert to student difficulties & intervene as
soon as possible
be available & approachable so students having
difficulties feel comfortable coming for help
involve all students in class participation &
responsibilities
when necessary to discipline a child, do as
privately as possible

Respect from others

develop a classroom environment where students are positive

&nonjudgmental

star of the week

award programs for jobs well done

providing deserved positions of status

recognition programs for special effort (eg. helpful citizens of

the week)

develop & carry out a curriculum to encourage children to be

empathetic& good listeners

employ cooperative learning in such a way as to develop trust

between group members

involve students in activities of importance & worthiness (ex.

Cleaning up the environment)

Suggestions for Application of

Maslow's Theory to Education
Self-actualization
Maximizing ones potential.
expect students to do their best
give students freedom to explore & discover on their own
make learning meaningful--connect to "real" life
plan lessons involving metacognitive activities
get students involved in self-expressive projects
allow students to be involved in creative activities &
projects.