Introduction to the Behaviourist theories of learning

1. Introduction to the Behaviourist theories of learning Understanding Learning: MOD001256

2. Learning Objectives By the end of the session, you will: • Review some of the research of the behaviourist learning theorists: Pavlov, Thorndike, Watson and Skinner. • Consider how behaviourist learning approaches are used currently in a range of learning contexts and settings.

3. Definition: Learning • “any more or less permanent change in behaviour which is the result of experience” • (Borger & Seaborne, 1966, p16 cited in Jarvis, Holford & Griffin, 2003. p.25)

4. Influences in the late 19th/early 20th century • Age of enlightenment - 18th Century • Scientific approach to research- Positivism • Psychology emerging a discipline (Freud) • Darwin – Evolution • Durkheim – Education to reinforce social solidarity • Technology impacting on everyday life – modernity • Mood: The world is becoming increasingly explained and understood. The introduction of new technology is encouraging people to think of a future where the environment and life experiences can be controlled.

5. Behaviourist learning theorists – timeline: I. Pavlov (1849-1936) [active 1890’s – 1900’s] E.L. Thorndike (1874-1949) [active 1900’s – 1930’s] J. Watson (1878–1958) [active 1910’s – 1920] B. F. Skinner (1904 –1990) [active 1930’s – 1960’s]

6. Ivan Petrovich Pavlov (1849-1936) • Russian • Nobel Prize winner 1904 in Physiology and Medicine for research about digestion. • Key concept is conditioned (conditional) reflex • He was not specifically concerned with the study of learning

7. Conditioned Reflex (Classical Conditioning) • An Unconditioned Stimulus - sight/taste of food - provokes an Unconditioned Response – salivation • A normally neutral stimulus – bell, buzzer, metronome is associated with the food until it provokes the response – salivation • The sound becomes the Conditioned Stimulus and the response becomes the Conditioned Response • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpoLxEN54ho

8. Classical Conditioning An example from a learning environment (From Bartlett and Burton, 2012, p.197)

9. John Broadus Watson (1878–1958) • American Psychologist • Considered first person to use term ‘Behaviourism’ • Considered the mind as being irrelevant to learning • Rejected determinism through instinct and heredity as the major factor in learning – environment is the key • Some interest in concept of thinking as ‘subvocal speech’ • Commented on child rearing

10. “Little Albert” • “Little Albert” experiment: conditioned a young child to associate fear with a furry object (rat, rabbit, fur hat, Santa etc) • “Little Albert” experiment: • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xt0ucxOrPQE&feature=related

11. Watson writes….. • “Psychology as the behaviorist views it is a purely objectiveexperimental branch of natural science. Its theoretical goal is the prediction and control of behavior. Introspection forms no essential part of its methods, nor is the scientific value of its data dependent upon the readiness with which they lend themselves to interpretation in terms of consciousness. The behaviorist, in his efforts to get a unitary scheme of animal response, recognizes no dividing line between man and brute. The behavior of man, with all of its refinement and complexity, forms only a part of the behaviorist's total scheme of investigation.” • (Watson, 1913)

12. Watson writes….. • “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………..” • (Watson, 1930. p.82)

13. Edward Lee Thorndike (1874-1949) • American Psychologist • In series of experiments which required cats to escape from ‘puzzle boxes’ he rejected notion that the cats might be using insight to open the box in favour of learning through conditioned responses (Trial and Error): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vk6H7Ukp6To&NR=1 • Key idea is Law of Effect: responses that are closely followed (‘recency’) by gaining a reward, become associated with the situation and are more likely to be repeated. Negative consequences can lead to weakened association.

14. Burrhus Frederic Skinner (1904 –1990) • American Psychologist – originally an English graduate • The founder of ‘Radical Behaviourism’: behaviour is learned through reinforcement • Key ideas: ‘Operant Conditioning’ and ‘Reinforcement’ • Invented the ‘Operant Conditioning Chamber’ (Skinner Box)

15. Operant Conditioning • Living things are ‘operating’ on their environment • If during this operation a reinforcing stimulus is encountered, this increases the ‘operant’ i.e. the behaviour immediately before the reinforcement. The reinforcing stimulus increases the likelihood of the organism repeating the behaviour. • Typically this was tested in ‘Skinner boxes’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQtDTdDr8vs&NR=1

16. Reinforcement • Positive: Strengthening of behaviour by praise, rewarding event • Negative: Strengthening of behaviour by removal/avoidance of event e.g. avoiding harm • Punishment: Weakening of behaviour by aversive event • Extinction: Weakening of behaviour by removal of rewarding event • In practice: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNW05PRpPUY

17. Key impacts on learning • Trial and error learning: (Problem solving, Inquiry Based Learning.) This can be open ended and student led or subject to varying degrees of teacher intervention (to a desired outcome). • Instrumental teaching: Learning outcomes are expressed in behavioural terms. Learning is measurable and prescriptive. • Programmed learning: Short tasks with frequent feedback (reinforcement) and in small steps of increasing complexity.

18. Limitations & Criticisms • Conformity: Outcomes often conformist. Authority imposes behavioural goals that are reproduced reliably but predictably: What about free thinkers, innovation and creativity? Who sets the goals? • Indoctrination: May be seen as indoctrination when a teacher controls outcomes and using reinforcement to ‘correct’ result. • Neglects cognitive (thinking) processes: Potentially limiting learning • Agency of learning is external: Learners are not encouraged to act independently and to make their own choices during learning. The learning and the environment is controlled by the teacher.

19. References: • Watson, John B., 1913. Psychology as a Behaviorist Views It. Psychological Review. 20. Pp158-177 (Full text available at: http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Watson/views.htm) • Watson, John B., 1930. Behaviorism (revised edition). Chicago: University of Chicago Press. • More from Skinner: • Reinforcement, superstition and free will: • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhvaSEJtOV8 • Teaching machines: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXR9Ft8rzhk&feature=related

20. Further reading to support your assignment • Chapter 3 Behaviourist Approaches to Learning in: Jarvis, P., Holford, J., Griffin, C., 2003. The Theory and Practice of Learning. 2nd edn. London: Routledge (E-book) • Pages 242 – 253 of Woolfolk, A., Hughes, M. & Walkup, V., 2013. Psychology in Education. 2nd Edn. Harlow: Pearson Education (E-book in the library). • Pages 197 – 199 of Bartlett, S. & Burton, D. 2012. Introduction to Educational Studies. London: Sage Publications Limited. • Behaviourism - general: • http://www.infed.org/biblio/learning-behavourist.htm • http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/beh.html • Skinner: http://tip.psychology.org/skinner.html • Thorndike: http://tip.psychology.org/thorn.html • Plus check the Weblinks area on the VLE for further on-line materials on behaviourism.

21. Further reading to support your assignment • Behaviourism - general: • http://www.infed.org/biblio/learning-behavourist.htm • http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/beh.html • Skinner: http://tip.psychology.org/skinner.html • Thorndike: http://tip.psychology.org/thorn.html • Plus check the Weblinks area on the VLE for further on-line materials on behaviourism.