2. * No matter the various interpretation of Behaviorism, all focus on measurable and observable aspects of human behavior. * Behaviors and actions, rather than thoughts or emotions, are worthy of study. * Behaviorists believe that all behavior is learned and can also be unlearned and replaced by new behaviors. * A key element to this theory of learning is the rewarded response. The desired response must be rewarded in order for learning to take place.

3. * John B. Watson and B. F. Skinner are the principal originators of the behaviorist approaches to learning. * Watson was influenced by Pavlov’s theory of classical conditioning and believed that conclusions about human development could only be made from directly observable overt behavior. In his stimulus-response model, specific stimuli evoked observable responses in human behavior.

4. * Skinner expanded on Watson’s stimulus-response model by developing his operant conditioning model. * With operant conditioning, part of the desired behavior or a random act that approaches it is rewarded. According to Skinner, “things we call pleasant have an energizing or strengthening effect on our behavior” so humans and animals repeat pleasurable acts and stop unpleasant ones. * Skinner’s experiments on animals demonstrate operant conditioning. For example, a rat presses a bar and receives a food pellet; it will likely press the bar again. The pressing of the bar is the operant and the food pellet is the reinforcer.

5. * Modeling is observational learning in which a child sees a behavior and attempts to reproduce that behavior. * Children acquire favorable and unfavorable behaviors through modeling. An example of modeling is a child who kicks another child after seeing this on the playground. * Teachers can use modeling to demonstrate behavior and encourage children to learn from observation.

6. * Shaping is the process of gradually changing a given response over a period of time. * The desired behavior is segmented into small steps. As each step progresses toward the desired behavior, it is rewarded with a positive reinforcer. * The behavior gradually changes from a negative one to a positive one.

7. * A group of students enter the classroom noisily and walk around the room. The classroom teacher wants students to enter the classroom, sit down and wait quietly until the bell rings. She offers a point system to the students, in which they accumulate points to redeem rewards. They enter the classroom and sit down, but continue to talk after the bell rings. They earn one point for improvement since all students are seated. Next time, the students must be seated and quiet to earn points.

8. * Cueing uses verbal or non-verbal responses to make someone aware if their behavior is appropriate or inappropriate. * Teachers can discuss the use of a cue immediately before the desired action is expected to help student recall correct behavior. * For example: If the teacher is working with a student who consistently answers without raising his hand, the teacher should discuss how she will use a cue of hand-raising at the end of a question posed to the class to remind him to raise his hand before answering.

9. * Behaviorist techniques have long been used in education to promote desirable behavior and discourage inappropriate behavior. Some of the methods that come from behaviorist theory used in classroom management are reinforcement, punishment, contracts, and extinction. * Reinforcement is defined as anything that increases the desired behavior. * With positive reinforcement, something is added to increase the desired behavior. An example of positive reinforcement would be giving a student a compliment on good performance. Students are rewarded by this and therefore, they will continue to perform the desired behavior in order to receive the positive reinforcement. * With negative reinforcement, something is removed to increase a desired behavior. For example, give a free homework pass for turning in assignments on time. You increase the desired behavior by removing something that a student finds unpleasant; lightening the load so to speak.

10. * In contrast to reinforcement, punishment presents a strong stimulus that decreases the frequency of an undesired behavior. * With positive punishment, something is added to decrease the undesired behavior. For example, give a student detention for failing to do their homework. * With negative punishment, something is removed to decrease the undesired behavior. For example, take away a student’s recess time for not following class rules.

11. * Contracts are an effective way of helping students focus on changing an undesirable behavior. * The agreement between the student and the teacher should focus on the behavioral change. * The relevant behavior should be identified * Together, the student and teacher should decide on the terms of the contract. * Teachers and parents work together to ensure that the contract is being fulfilled.

12. * For example, a contract can help a student who is not completing homework assignments. The teacher and the student design a contract agreeing that the student will stay for extra help, ask parents for help, and complete assigned work on time. The teacher will be available after school, and during free periods for additional assistance.

13. * Extinction is the removal of a previously reinforcing stimulus in order to decrease an undesired behavior. * Example of extinction: Students are frequently late to class, and contrary to school policy, the teacher does not require a late pass. The teacher decides to enforce the rule requiring a late pass and students begin to arrive on time. The behavior of being late to class is extinguished.