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What can you teach a dog, a
cat, and rat?
Behaviorism Key Ideas
Deterministic- The way you act is determined by
external stimuli provided by the culture in which you
live.
Observable- Over time the individual develops a
“behavioral repertoire” (Steinberg, 1980) that can be
used to predict behavior.
Controllable- Desirable behaviors can be brought
about by incentives; undesirable behaviors can be
eradicated by consequences or punishment.
John B. Watson
1878 - 1958
John B. Watson
Watson changed the focus of psychology from
introspection, to environmentalism.
The principles of learning would account for
the largest share of behavioral development and
are exercised almost exclusively through
environmental learning opportunities provided
for children. (reflected in cultural diversity &
learning studies)
John B. Watson
He believed that environmental shaping of behavior
began prenatally, and focused his studies on infants
and children.
He demonstrated the conditioned response in the
case of “Little Albert”(Watson, 1925), who was
exposed to an alarming noise and a rat at the same
time, and developed not only a fear of rats, but
transferred the fear to all furry objects.
John B. Watson
Credited with “Definitional standards for
stimuli and response and criteria for making
objective and reliable observations can be
traced back to Watson and continue to
characterize acceptable investigatory practices
today.”(Horowitz, 1992)
E.L. Thorndike
1874 - 1949
E.L. Thorndike
First scientific theory of learning- Theory of
Connectionism
Comprehensive analogy of human learningThree volume work, Educational Psychology (
1913a, 1913b, 1914 )
Initial work with animal learning in laboratory
setting- cat in box experiment”
What happened ?
Schunk (2000)
The Cat Learned !!!
Behavior Change = Learning
Thorndike’s Theory of Connectionism
Law of Effect
If Situation + Response is followed by a positive
consequence then the connection between the
Situation + Response is strengthened.
If Situation + Response is followed by a negative
consequence then the connection between the
Situation + Response is weakened.
In Thorndike’s words:
“When a modifiable connection between an situation and
a response is made and is accompanied or followed by a
satisfying state of affairs, that connection’s strength is
increased: When made or accompanied or followed by an
annoying state of affairs, the strength is decreased.”
(Thorndike, 1913b)
Note: Thorndike(1932) later modified the Law of Effect
when research showed that while positive consequences
strengthened connections, negative consequences did not
necessarily weaken them.
“Spare the reward, spoil the child”
by E.L. Thorndike
The Big Idea
Consequences of behavior effect behavior,
responses resulting in satisfying
consequences are learned.
Behavioral theories explain learning in
terms of environmental events.
B.F. Skinner
1904 - 1990
Operant Conditioning
As an organism is operating in its
environment, it happens upon a
reinforcing stimulus, or reinforcer.
This reinforcer then causes the
organism to continue the operant, or
event that occurred right before the
stimulus. If an operant is no longer
followed by a reinforcer, extinction of
the operant behavior will occur.
Inventions
Operant conditioning chamber or “Skinner Boxes”
- rats would press on a bar to receive a food (positive
reinforcement), or could be set up to give an electric
shock (negative reinforcement).
- pigeons would peck to receive food if a light was on, but
not receive food when a light was off.
Extinction of the operant behavior occurs when you stop
giving the rat a food pellet as a reward for pushing the
pedal.
Cumulative recorder –records the rate of response of the
animal in the operant conditioning chamber
Air Crib – a crib that maintained constant temperature and
humidity, easy to clean.
Operant Conditioning Chambers
An Air Crib
Schedules of Reinforcement
Continuous Reinforcement – every time the rat does the
correct behavior, it is reinforced with food.
Fixed Ratio Schedule – there is a fixed ratio between
correct behaviors and reinforcement, i.e., 5 pedal pushes to
one food pellet.
Fixed Interval Schedule – rat can push the pedal at least
once or possibly many more of times per every 30 seconds,
but will get only one food pellet.
Variable Schedules – variable ratio means you change the
amount of pedal pushes needed to receive the food pellet,
and variable interval means you change the time period.
Shaping
Shaping can be used to help an animal to behave
in a manner that it would never do in its ordinary
daily patterns.
Shaping occurs when a reward is given if the
animal does a behavior that is even slightly close
to the desired behavior. Then, as the animal
continues to exhibit the behavior that closer and
closer resembles the desired action, rewards are
given. Eventually, the desired behavior will
exist. (ie. Pigeons that bowl or play ping pong.)
Think Like a Behaviorist
1. In groups of 3 or 4 develop a behaviorist
theory of learning.
2. Compare and contrast your behaviorist
theory of learning with an earlier learning
theory developed in class last week.
Behaviorism in the
Math Classroom
3. In your groups, give specific
examples of how behavior theories
are applied to the learning of
mathematics?
Robert Gagne
1916 - 2002
Robert M. Gagne
Types of Learning Outcomes: Gagne identified
several types of learning as behaviors students
demonstrate after acquiring knowledge:
 Intellectual Skills (such as Problem solving,
Higher order rules, Defined concepts, Concrete
concepts, and Discriminations)
 Cognitive Strategies
 Verbal information
 Motor Skills
 Attitudes
Learning Hierarchies:
Learning is a process; you must know and
understand lower level skills before advancing
to higher level skills. Therefore to teach a skill
a teacher must first identify its prerequisite
skills and make sure that the students posses
them.
It may be that some theoretical basis will one day be
proposed to replace the “common- sense logic” which
now underlies the designing of sequences of topics for
courses. The idea of the “spiral curriculum” (Bruner,
1960, p. 52), for example, proposes that content topics be
systematically reintroduced at periodic intervals. Two
purposes areas served by such a scheme: First, the
previously learned knowledge of the topic is given a
review, which tends to improve retention. A second the
topic may be progressively elaborated when it is
reintroduced leading to broadened understanding and be
explicated in detail, but it appears to hold much promise
for future curriculum design efforts. (Gagne, 1974)
Robert M. Gagne
The 9 Events of Instruction:
These guidelines will allow teachers to reach optimal conditions
of learning:
 Gaining Attention
 Informing the learner of the objective
 Stimulating recall of prerequisite learning
 Presenting new material
 Providing learning guidance
 Eliciting performance
 Providing feedback about correctness
 Assessing performance
 Enhancing retention and recall
Pros and Cons of Behaviorism
Pro- Observable behavior is observable and
measurable. We can infer whether changes have
been made in student’s understanding from
behavioral change.
Con- Some of our most important goals for
students learning involve changes in internal
(cognitive, affective) things which cannot be
directly observed.
Pros and Cons of Behaviorism
Pro- It is easily implemented. Such things as positive
verbal reinforcement, or that look of “I’m tired of your
nonsense” take little time or effort and usually bring
about the desired behavior quickly.
Con- It has its limits. Michael Shayer and Philip Adey
made the observation: “In two studies it was found that
no evidence of formal thinking capacity could be
found in children under the age of 10, no matter how
clever they were.”(Shayer & Adey ,1981) – By clever
they mean measured IQ scores in the 160 range.
Behaviorism in a Rural
Education Context
In rural school districts, the center of the
cultural environment for the community as
well as the students is the school. The
school is influential in community values.
Corporal punishment is more prevalent in
rural areas. “Corporal punishment in public
schools is indeed legal in Alabama,
Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware,
Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas,
Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri,
New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio,
Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina,
Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming (Starr,
2002)
Bibliography
Adey, Philip and Shayer, Michael (1981), “Toward a Science of
Science Teaching: Cognitive Developments and Curriculum
Demand” (London: Heinmann Educational Books), pp.135-136.
deGroot, A.D. (1969), Methodology: Foundations of Inference and
Research in the Behavioral Sciences. New York and the Hague,
the Netherlands. Mouton
Gagne, Robert M. (1985), The Conditions of Learning and Theory of
Instruction (4th edition), New York, Holt, Rinehart, and
Winston.
Gagne, Robert M., Briggs, L.J. & Wager, W.W. (1992), Priciples of
Instructional Design (4th edition), New York, Holt, Rhinehart,
and Winston.
Bibliography
Hearst, Elliot. (1999). After the puzzle boxes: Thorndike in the
20th century. Journal of Experimental Analysis of Behavior
.72, 441-446
Horowitz, Frances Degen (1992), “John B. Watson’s Legacy:
Learning and Environment” Developmental Psychology,
V0l. 28m No. 3, pp.360-367
Hull, C.L. (1943), Principles of Behavior. New York. AppletonCentury-Crofts.
Saettler, P. (1990). The evolution of American educational
technology . Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, Inc.
Bibliography
Schunk, Dale H. (2000).Learning theories: an
educational perspective. Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Prentice Hall Inc.
Skinner, B.F. (1938), The Behavior of Organisms, An
Experimental Analysis. New York: AppletonCentury Crofts.
Skinner, B.F. (1950), Are Learning Theories Necessary?
Psychological Review 57:193-216
Skinner, B.F. (1953), Science and Human Behavior.
New York: Macmillan
Bibliography
Starr, Linda (2002), “Corporal Punishment:
Teaching Violence Through Violence”.
Education World.
Steinberg, Ira S (1980), “Behaviorism and Schooling”. (New
York: St. Martin’s Press Inc.) Pp.126
Thorndike, E. L. (1913b). Educational psychology: Vol 2
.The psychology of learning. New York: Teachers
College Press
Thorndike, E. L. (1932) . The fundamentals of learning. New
York; Teachers College Press.
Thorndike, E.L. (1911). Animal Intelligence. New York:
Macmillan
Bibliography
Thorndike, E.L. (1913), Educational
Psychology (Vols. 1 and 2). New York:
Columbia University Press
Watson, John.B, (1913), Psychology As A
Behaviorist Views It. Psychological
Review 20:158-177
Watson, John B, (1925)., “Behaviorism”
(New York: Norton) p.117
The End
Behaviorist Theories
by bruce, landrea, and victoria