PRESENTATION FOR ENGLISH DIDACTICS I. BEHAVIORISM PRESENTATION FOR ENGLISH DIDACTICS I.

Contents: Introduction What is Behaviorism? What is Classical Conditioning? What is Operant Conditioning? What is Observational Learning? Roots of Behaviorism – Major Characters (Pavlov, Thorndike, Watson, Skinner) Criticism of Behaviorism Conclusion Bibliography & Web links

1. Introduction What is Learning? Learning is a relatively permanent change in behavior that is the result of experience. During the first half of the twentieth century, the school of thought known as behaviorism rose to dominate psychology and sought to explain the learning process. The three major types of learning described by behavioral psychology are: classical conditioning operant conditioning observational learning

Rationalists - humans have an innate capacity for the development of language, and that we are genetically programmed to develop out linguistic systems in certain ways. Empiricists - the learner’s experience is largely responsible for language learning. Language learning is seen as the result of external forces acting on the organism rather than the programmed unfolding of language through internal biological mechanisms. BEHAVIORISM is the chief empiricist theory of learning.

2. What ist Behaviorism? DEFINITION Behaviorism is an approach in psychology which attempts to explain all behaviour in terms of learning.  This reductionist approach largely focuses on overt behaviour and ignores internal mechanisms such as cognitions (e.g. thoughts). Behaviorism is a theory of animal and human learning that only focuses on objectively observable behaviors and discounts mental activities. Behavior theorists define learning as nothing more than the acquisition of new behavior.

3. Classical Conditioning What is Classical Conditioning? Classical conditioning is a learning process in which an association is made between a previously neutral stimulus and a stimulus that naturally evokes a response. Classic conditioning occurs when a natural reflex responds to a stimulus. The most popular example is Pavlov's observation that dogs salivate when they eat or even see food. Essentially, animals and people are biologically "wired" so that a certain stimulus will produce a specific response. In Pavlov’s classic experiment, the smell of food was the naturally occurring stimulus that was paired with the previously neutral ringing of the bell. Once an association had been made between the two, the sound of the bell alone could lead to a response.

4. Operant Conditioning What is Operant Conditioning? Behavioral or operant conditioning is a learning process in which the probability of response is increased or decreased due to reinforcement or punishment. So, operant conditioning occurs when a response to a stimulus is reinforced. First studied by Edward Thorndike and later by B.F. Skinner, the underlying idea behind operant conditioning is that the consequences of our actions shape voluntary behavior. Basically, operant conditioning is a simple feedback system: if a reward or reinforcement follows the response to a stimulus, then the response becomes more probable in the future.

5. Observational Learning What is Observational Learning? Observational learning is a process in which learning occurs through observing and imitating others. As demonstrated in Albert Bandura’s classic “Bobo Doll” experiments, people will imitate the actions of others without direct reinforcement. Four important elements are essential for effective observational learning: attention, motor skills, motivation, and memory.

6. Important People The following are some of the major figures associated with learning and the behavioral school of psychology. Ivan Pavlov Edward Thorndike John Watson B.F. Skinner

Ivan Petrovich Pavlov Most famous of the Russain researchers It was in 1900 that he began studying reflexes, especially the salivary response. In 1904, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in physiology for his work on digestion, and in 1921, he received the Hero of the Revolution Award from Lenin himself. * 1849  1936

Pavlovian (or classical) conditioning We begin with an unconditioned stimulus and an unconditioned response -- a reflex!  We then associate a neutral stimulus with the reflex by presenting it with the unconditioned stimulus.  Over a number of repetitions, the neutral stimulus by itself will elicit the response!  At this point, the neutral stimulus is renamed the conditioned stimulus, and the response is called the conditioned response.

The first and the second signal system The first signal system is where the conditioned stimulus (a bell) acts as a “signal” that an important event is to occur -- i.e. the unconditioned stimulus (the meat).  The second signal system is when arbitrary symbols come to stand for stimuli, as they do in human language.

Edward Lee Thorndike The learning theory of Thorndike represents the original S-R framework of behavioral psychology: Learning is the result of associations forming between stimuli and responses. Such associations or "habits" become strengthened or weakened by the nature and frequency of the S-R pairings. *1874  1949

John Broadus Watson * 1878 1958 In 1913, he wrote an article called "Psychology as a Behaviorist Views It" for Psychological Review.  Here, he outlined the behaviorist program.  This was followed in the following year by the book Behaviorism:  An Introduction to comparative Psychology.  In this book, he pushed the study of rats as a useful model for human behavior.  * 1878 1958

Most importantly, Watson denied the existence of any human instincts, inherited capacities or talents, and temperaments.  This radical environmentalism is reflected in what is perhaps his best known quote: „Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my own specified world to bring them up in and I’ll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might select -- doctor, lawyer, artist, merchant-chief and, yes, even beggar-man and thief, regardless of his talents, penchants, tendencies, abilities, vocations, and race of his ancestors.“ (In Behaviorism, 1930)

Burrhus Frederic Skinner Neo-behaviourism is represented first all by B. F. Skinner, who followed the tradition of Watson and added a unique dimension to behaviouristic psychology: operant conditioning. Operant behaviour is behaviour in which one "operates" on the environment. Within this model the importance of stimuli is deemphasized. Operants as classes of specific responses must be positively reinforced. * 1904  1990 This process consists of three stages: stimulus (S) - response (R) - reinforcement (R)

Skinner designed an apparatus, called a Skinner box, that allowed him to formulate important principles of animal learning. An animal placed inside the box is rewarded with a small bit of food each time it makes the desired response, such as pressing a lever or pecking a key. A device outside the box records the animal's responses.

7. Criticism There have been many criticisms of behaviorism, including the following: Behaviorism does not account for all kinds of learning, since it disregards the activities of the mind. Behaviorism does not explain some learning--such as the recognition of new language patterns by young children--for which there is no reinforcement mechanism. Researches have shown that animals adapt their reinforced patterns to new information. For instance, a rat can shift its behavior to respond to changes in the layout of a maze it had previously mastered through reinforcements.

8. Conclusion The behaviorist approach has had a major influence in psychology and has contributed to our understanding of psychological functioning and has provided a number of techniques for changing unwanted behaviour. It is also argued that its use of rigorous empirical methods has enhanced the credibility of psychology as a science.  However behaviourisms reductionist approach tends to overlook the realm of consciousness and subjective experiences and it does not address the possible role of biological factors in human behaviour. Individuals are seen as passive beings that are at the mercy of their environments. This emphasis on environmental determinism leaves no room for the notion of free will in an individual. 

9. Bibliography & Web links Boroš J.; Ondrišková E.; Živčicová E.: Psychológia. Bratislava: IRIS, 1999. Haluškova, A.; Repka, R.: A Course in English Language Didactics. Bratislava: RETAAS, 2005 Skinner, B. F.: About behaviorism. New York: Knopf, 1974. Zuriff, G.: Behaviorism: A Conceptual Reconstruction. New York: Columbia University Press, 1985. INTERNET http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgi-local/DHI/dhi.cgi?id=dv1-30 http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Behaviorism&printable=yes http://www.learnpsychology.net/g/29 http://www.personalityresearch.org/behaviorism.html http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/skinner.html http://www.personalityresearch.org/papers/eischens.html http://psych.athabascau.ca/html/Behaviorism/Part1/sec2.shtml http://psychology.about.com/od/behavioralpsychology/f/behaviorism.htm http://www.iep.utm.edu/b/behavior.htm http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxKfpKQzow8

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