Download Behaviorist Theory of Education

Behaviorist Theory of Education
Behaviorist Theorists
J.B Watson, B.F. Skinner and Ivan Pavlov – these
theorists are known for their studies in animal behavior.
They both argue that a behavior can be modified or
reinforced by a direct change in the environment and
external stimulus. They believe that human behavior can
be compared with animal behavior.
What is behaviorism?
Behaviorism is the the educational theory that is based on
the underlying ideology that the environment has a direct
influence on behavior. It presumes that by manipulating
the environment, learning can be enhanced through
behavior modification. This means that behavior is
measured, seen to be appropriate or inappropriate and
accordingly changed or reinforced.
Experiment:
 Example Pavlov:
Animal used Dogs: experiment involved the conditioning
of dogs to respond to the ringing of a bell that indicated it
was meal time. Do you agree that people can be
compared in the same way? What about in the school/
classroom environment?)
Features of Behaviorism
 Learning is defined as a change in behavior
 When we learn how to change behaviors we can improve
the teaching and learning process (pedagogy)
 Outcomes based (objectives and measurement) approach
 Teachers need to make use of negative and positive
reinforcement in the classroom
 Makes argument for personal developmental process and
the teaching machine which allows students to progress at
own rate (but it is argued to dehumanize the teachinglearning process)
An argument against
Behaviorism:
 Naturalistic – “Man has no soul and no mind, only a brain
that responds to external stimuli” (DeMar 1998)
 “Man is nothing more than a machine that responds to
conditioning…our behavior is the product of our
conditioning. We are biological machines and do not
consciously act” (Ibid)
 “We are not responsible for our actions.
 Behaviorism.. Seeks not merely to understand human
behavior but to predict and control it