Behaviourism BEHAVIOURISM

Introduction

Unit 2

This unit deals with one of the reputed theories of learning that was popular during the 50s and 60s. The unit is structured in the following way: Central Idea Features of Behaviourism Recap Check Your Progress Reference Project

Central Idea
The term behaviourism was coined by John B. Watson in 1913. Other reputed behaviourists are Thorndike and Skinner. Behaviourism is a psychological theory of learning that was popular in the 1950s and 60s. This theory was based on the ideas of Pavlov and Skinner. According to the behaviourists, children's minds are blank slates that are filled with information from parents and the social environment (people, places, things). Therefore, learning is the result of a stimulus-response association. A stimulus is anything in the environment that creates a reaction or feeling. This reaction is called response. JOHN B. WATSON Learning involves four stages imitation, practice, feedback on success, and habit formation. For example, a child sees its brother brushing his teeth and imitates the action by using its finger as a brush. It then does it quite often (practice). When the child's parents or brother observe this and appreciate the child with a word of praise or by giving it a tiny toothbrush, the child feels motivated (feedback on success). It then learns to brush its teeth with the toothbrush everyday (habit formation). In learning, the same thing can be applied. For example, in a classroom, the teacher teaches the learners how to recite a poem by reading it aloud and asking learners to repeat (imitation). The learners are asked to read it aloud on their own (practice). If their reading is good, then the teacher appreciates them with a friendly pat or a word of praise (feedback on success). This results in learners beginning to read poems with the proper intonation and expression (habit formation).

Features of Behaviourism:

Some of the main behaviourist ideas are: 1. Learning is a habit that is a result of the environment. 2. The teacher has an important role to play in language learning.

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3. 4. 5.

Unit 2

The social environment is very important because learners learn mainly from the environment. Errors must be corrected immediately. This is because errors give rise to wrong behaviour. Learning should be the result of right behaviour. Repetition is very important in the learning process. The more the teacher repeats, the better the learner learns and develops a proper learning habit.

Recap
Behaviourism is a psychological theory of learning. Some of its features are: The mind is a blank slate that is filled up with information from the environment. Learning is the result of a stimulus-response sequence. There are four stages in learning imitation, practice, feedback on success, and habit formation. The teacher and the social environment are essential for learning. Errors should be avoided. Repetition leads to better learning.

Reference Ivan Pavlov: Pavlov was a Russian physiologist. He is well-known for his theory of classical conditioning. Pavlov used dogs to prove his theory. The dogs were chained and every day, during particular hours, they were fed. But before bringing in the bowl of food, Pavlov rang a bell. In other words, the dogs were fed soon after the bell rang. On seeing the food, the dogs salivated (their tongues watered). So, the food was the natural stimulus that created a natural response (salivation). A few days later, Pavlov rang the bell but did not bring the food. He noticed that the dogs salivated even then. This was because they associated the bell with the food that followed. Here, the bell was a conditioned stimulus (that was not natural and which was man-made or man-designed). The response (salivation) is also not natural but conditional. This is because the dog did not salivate on seeing the food (natural stimulus) but on hearing something associated with the food.

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Unit 2

Later, behaviourists applied this theory to learning. They stated that learning is the result of a stimulus-response association. The teacher, the teaching and learning materials and the classroom, are the stimulus which produce a response from the learner. If learners' minds are properly conditioned, then effective learning takes place. B.F. Skinner: Skinner was an American psychologist who is well-known for his theory of operant conditioning. According to Skinner, an individual's behaviour can be changed or modified using appropriate stimuli (plural of stimulus). The four key terms used in operant conditioning are: Positive Reinforcement: Here, the learner is rewarded for the right learning behaviour. Negative Reinforcement: There are unnecessary stimuli provided so that in order to escape from them, the learner adopts the right learning behaviour. For example, learners are sometimes asked to write impositions if they don't submit their assignments on time. This is to make sure that learners adopt the right learning behaviour (submitting the assignments on time). Positive Punishment: This refers to actions like scolding or sometimes beating the learner for trying to indulge in wrong learning behaviour. Negative Punishment: A stimulus is withdrawn if the learner tries to indulge in wrong learning behaviour. For example, marks are one of the greatest stimuli for a student. If the teacher says he/she will deduct marks if the learner does not participate in class, then it is a form of negative punishment.

Check Your Progress I. 1. 2. 3. 4. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate word/s. The term behaviourism was coined by _____________ in ______________. Learning is the result of a _______________________ association. Name two popular behaviourists. ____________________________________ Look at the following pictures. Which of the learning stages do these represent? Write the name of each stage below each picture.

Behaviourism

Unit 2

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__________________ II. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. State whether the following statements are true or false. The reaction to a stimulus is called learning. The social environment is important for learning. Language learning is like a habit. T/F Errors are not taken seriously at all. T/F Repetition is not necessary for language learning. T/F T/F T/F

Project Who is the man in the picture? B.F. Skinner Edward Thorndike Ivan Pavlov

Find out from the internet and write his name in the space provided.

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What theory is he associated with?

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