Behaviorism

*

By Margaret McCauley

*Hyperlinked to Justin K Reeve's blog Insights Into Educational Technology

Table of Contents

Behaviorism Summary Continued B.F. Skinner Skinner's Contributions Uses of Behaviorism in the Classroom Classroom Applications Continued Behaviorism in My Classroom My Classroom Continued

Behaviorism Summary

Behaviorism Summarized

Idea introduced in 1913 by John B Watson

– Been called Father of Behaviorism Said behavior is result of environment Discredited study of mind as unscientific Rejected idea behavior results from

pleasure/discomfort Trivia:Watson first to use lab rats

John B. Watson

Behaviorism Summary Continued

Equates man to animal; both learn through rewards

Central figures include Pavlov, Thorndike and Skinner

Experimented with behavioral conditioning Used rewards to stimulate behavior in animals Pavlov taught dogs to salivate at sound of tuning

fork Thorndike taught mice to navigate mazes

B.F. Skinner Born 1904 in Pennsylvania Attended Hamilton College, later Harvard Experimented with rats in psychology department Also worked with pigeons during WWII Was mechanically inclined

Built several mechanical inventions (safer crib, cumulative recorder)

Taught; had a wife and 2 children

Skinner's Contributions Discovered operant behavior

– Idea that stimulus for behavior could occur after behavior

– i.e. rat presses bar, causes food to appear so rat presses bar again

Attempted to explain cognitive phenomena

– Motivation in terms of deprivation and reinforcement

Token economies; a token is worth foodB. F. Skinner

Uses of Behaviorism in the Classroom

Has implications in classroom management i.e. could condition students to follow rules

through rewards/punishments Programs which reward correct responses are

great tools Computer games with positive reinforcers

Rewards for correct answers elicit more correct answers

Classroom Applications Continued

“A behavior unrewarded will be extinguished,” (Standridge, M).

Student stops misbehaving if unrewarded Token economies; reward students with tokens

redeemable for prizes Teaching students to link behaviors with

consequences/rewards

Behaviorism in My Classroom

Every behavior will have clear consequences Use games/technology that provide feedback Verbal rewards for correct responses

– Phrases like “Well done, good job” etc. Token economies as reward systems

– Knowledge useful for money management later

• Each task broken into small steps

My Classroom Continued

• Programs where actions cause specific reactions

– Excel: input leads to specific output

• Videos that show action/reaction

– Chemical reactions, etc.

• Misbehaving students will be unrewarded

– Ignoring tantrums unless extremely disruptive

• Make sure students know what behavior led to what consequence

Citations• Reeves, Justin K. "Behaviorism Not As Dead As Previously

Thought." Insights Into Educational Technology. Weber School District, 28 June 2010. Web. 2 Apr. 2012. <http://blog.wsd.net/jreeve/behaviorism-not-as-dead-as-previously-thought/>.

• Graham, George. "Behaviorism." Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Web. 8 Apr 2012. <http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/behaviorism/>.

• Vargas, Julie S. "A Brief Biography of B. F. Skinner." B. F. Skinner Foundation. Web. 8 Apr 2012. <http://www.bfskinner.org/BFSkinner/AboutSkinner.html>.

• "Token Economy." Kids Making Change. Web. 8 Apr 2012. <http://www.kidsmakingchange.com/TokenEconomy/cms/Token_Economy.html>.