The Behavioral Approach

Learning ApproachLearning:

◦A relatively permanent change in behavior or knowledge due to experience.

Basic PremiseThere is no such thing as

personality.◦Ego, archetype, self…

What people call personality is merely how everyone would behave under a specified set of conditions.

Premise Behavior can be controlled by

consequences- type of reinforcement following the behavior

Behavior and learning theorists emphasize experience and learning as the primary forces that shape human behavior

Explore personality experimentally by studying behavior in laboratory settings

Dollard and Miller – psychoanalytic learning theory

Skinner – radical behaviorism

Driscoll (2000) defines learning as “a persisting change in human performance or performance potential…[which] must come about as a result of the learner’s experience and interaction with the world”.

These two ideas – the importance of measurable and observable performance and impact of the environment, comprise foundational principle of the behaviorist approach of learning.

Initially, the theory contended that certain behavioral responses come to be associated with specific environmental stimuli.

Skinner argued that a behavior is more likely to reoccur if it has been reinforced or rewarded.

These principle of behaviorism can be used for classroom management.

For example a teacher can give reward to the student who are paying attention in the classroom.

Development of Behavior Through LearningReinforcement is anything that

increases the likelihood of a response◦ Operant behaviors – responses emitted

without a stimulus necessarily being present

◦ Operant conditioning involves shaping and reinforcing operant behaviors

◦ Shaping deliberately molding the organism’s responses through series of reinforcements in order to achieve a desired behavior

Schedules and Types of ReinforcementContinuous reinforcementInterval reinforcement

◦ Fixed interval◦ Variable interval

Ratio reinforcement◦ Fixed ratio◦ Variable ratio

Types of reinforcement

Psychotherapy and Behavioral ChangeSkinner’s attitude toward therapy is

pragmatic and curativeBehavior modification seeks to

eliminate undesired behaviors by changing the environment within which they occur

Token economy used in many institutional settings for reinforcement of appropriate behaviors

Kinds of Behavior : Respondent and OperantRespondent behavior: responses

resulting from specific environmental stimuli ◦ Ex: Reflexes (knee jerk)

Depends on reinforcement, directly related to physical stimulus

Conditioning: Higher level respondent behavior◦ Learning to substitute one stimulus for

another

Kinds of Behavior: Operant BehaviorNot all behavior is a direct

response to environmental stimuli (respondent behavior).

Nature and frequency of behavior determined by reinforcement following behavior

Behavior that operates on the environment and changes it

Operant ConditioningOperant Behaviour and ConditioningWhile it is commonly known that

behaviour is affected by its consequences, Skinner's theory of operant conditioning further states that the process does not require repeated efforts, but is instead an immediate reaction to a familiar stimulus.

Beginnings of the Rat & Food Experiment

In an experiment with a rat using food as a reward (which would work for many of us, as well!):The rat was placed in a box Over the course of a few days, food was

occasionally delivered through an automatic dispenser

Before long, the rat approached the food tray as soon as the sound of the dispenser was heard, clearly anticipating the arrival of more food

The Next Step of the Experiment

Researchers raised a small lever on the wall of the box and when the rat touched it, the food dispenser provided a snack. 

After the first self-induced meal, the rat repeatedly touched the lever in order to get more food (smart rat!)

To the hungry rodent, the sound of the dispenser became a reinforcer when it was first associated with feedings and continued to be so until after a while

researchers stopped providing food when the lever was pressed. Soon after that, the rat stopped touching the lever.

Positive and Negative Reinforcers and the Uniqueness of Humans

Reinforcers can be positive or negative and both are used to strengthen behaviour. Unlike animals, humans (the big ones as well as the little ones) often respond to verbal operants by:taking advicelistening to the warnings of othersand obeying given rules and laws

How Does All This Relate to Children?

One of the aspects important to human behaviour, though, is the feelings associated with behaviour that is controlled by conditioning.

When previous behaviours have been rewarded, children are likely to repeat those behaviours happily and willingly, feeling that they are doing what they 'want' to be doing.

If, on the other hand, children choose behaviours in order to avoid a repeat of negative reinforcement, they may behave appropriately, but will be inclined to feel that their freedoms are being suppressed.

Implication of the behaviourism theory in teaching and learning focussing on curriculum, instruction and assessment:

Behaviorism defines learning as a change in observable behaviors due to environmental stimuli. 

Using behaviorist learning theories, a teacher begins a lesson on milk production by having the children gather during group time on a large carpet.  As the children sit on the carpet facing the teacher only, he or she presents the book, The Milk Makers, by Gail Gibbons. 

The children face only the teacher to avoid undesirable reinforcement that could distract from the goal of the lesson.  The teacher uses the picture book to explain the topic because the children are engaged with the visual material as the teacher narrates the pictures. 

As the children listen to the story, they receive a summary of the information they are expected to learn.

When the teacher is finished reading the story, he or she re-explains the four stages of milk production. 

As she summarizes the information, she introduces four pictures that illustrate each stage.  After the summary, the teacher passes each child a set of pictures to view.

  The teacher tests the children on their understanding by having them hold up the pictures in sequential order.

The assessment is based on both classical and operant conditioning.  Each child will hold up a picture, the unconditioned response, when the teacher asks for a certain card, the unconditioned stimulus. 

The teacher’s positive feedback, a conditioned stimulus, will prompt the correct choice, the conditioned response, according to the lesson. 

Operant conditioning is utilized as the children are reinforced with stickers and chosen activities. - During the teacher’s assessment the children hold up one picture at a time.  The children face the teacher so each child is focusing on the appropriate picture and the teacher’s feedback.  Each child who holds up the appropriate picture receives a star. 

When a child has received four stars in a row, he or she may leave the group area for a chosen activity.  The teacher retests the remaining children until each has mastered the material. 

Behaviorist learning theories simplify lessons so that the child’s focused attention and the teacher’s curriculum goals remain specific. 

Because of the efficiency of a behaviorist lesson plan in terms of planning, execution, and assessment, the teacher has more time for alternate classroom tasks. 

The clear structure of a behaviorist lesson can be especially beneficial for children who are easily distracted or over-stimulated.  However, the categorical focus of behaviorism can be wearisome for children in need of variety and stimulation.     

What the teacher does under the Behaviourist theory?A teacher uses behaviourism to manage his/herTeacher could use operant conditioning

to reward or punish his/her students-When a student does well on a test, the teacher could use candy as an incentive to continue do well on a test (positive reinforcement).-Whenever a student misbehave, the teacher may prevent the student from going outside during recent (punishment)

CLASSROOM IMPLICATIONS: (WHAT THE STUDENTS DO UNDER THIs THEORY)Under this theory, a student learns what behaviors are or

are not appropriate-A student received a bad behaviour mark for talking

during the class. The bad behaviour mark (or punishment) will teach the student that talking while the teacher is talking is not an appropriate behaviour.

A student could also be classically conditioned to behave a certain way in a classroom

-If student realize that they always have pop quizzes when their teacher is carrying an orange-colored folder, they will learn to prepare for a pop quiz at the sight of the orange-colored folder, even if there is not a pop quiz.

MY CLASSROOM:

I would use this behaviourist theory in my classroom for classroom management purposes

Providing positive reinforcements to reward appropriate behaviour, and punishments to demean in appropriate behaviour will allow students to become familiar with my classroom expectations.

-As positive reinforcement, I would reward my students with “Kelly Dollars” when he /she get A’s on tests or ask thought-provoking questions

-Kelly dollars can be exchanged for bonus points, candy, or a free homework grade (if a student missed a homework assignment).

Negative reinforcement could be used to help students behave according to my rules and expectations:

-if a student has trouble in completing assignments on time, I would continually call home and remind the students that his/her grade is getting lower and lower due to the amount of late work he/she turns in.

If the students want their grade to go up and for me to stop calling home, he/she will be begin to complete assignments on time. Other alternatives I can do is, threating the students that I will call to home and inform to the students’ parents about the issue. This will eventually make the students to feel scared and do their work properly.