Behaviorism as a Philosophy of
Education.
with Pavlov and Skinner
Behaviorism as a Philosophy of Education
Behaviorism is a branch of psychology that, when applied to
a classroom setting, focuses on conditioning student
behavior with various types of behavior reinforcements and
consequences called operant conditioning.
The principles of behaviorism and the techniques of
behavioral engineering go back at least to PAVLOV,
WATSON, and SKINNER . But skinner pioneered their
implementation in many fields of contemporary life.
. Into politics, economics, and other social organization.
Aims of Education
- Although many people disapprove of the concepts of
behavioral engineering. It has increasingly become part of
the educational process.
• Teacher have conditioned to sit up straight and to be quite
through looks, grades and physical punishment.
• When students are emotionally disturbed, conditioning is one
way to develop a step-by-step program through rewards (or
punishment.)
Watson Pavlov
• Believed that psychology could become a ■ Famous for his behavioral with dogs.
• science when it became possible to • Taught dogs to salivate when he rang a
bell.
• predict responses from stimuli;
• Provide a stimulus of food and achieved
his desire
• psychology should be objective &
reflex which was the dog salivating.
• Experimental.
• Pavlov was most known for his use of
classical
conditioning to train dogs.
Skinner.
Skinner also advocate of education, although many critics argue that what he meant by
education is not education but training.
Behaviorist consider the child to be an organism who already a highly programmed before
coming to school. This programming is accomplished by among other influences by
Parents, Peers, Sibling, and Television.
● Some programming might have been bad, but the child has been receptive to it and
has absorbed a lot of it.
● SKINNER believes that one reason why people have trouble making moral decisions is
that they received contradictory.
● And skinner also believed that people should try to create a world of Peace and justice,
and if conditioning can help, then it should be used.
Effects of Rewards
Praise, if used correctly, can increase intrinsic motivation by being informational
• Give unexpected rewards
• Avoid tangible rewards for something the student already finds interesting
• Rewards may decrease intrinsic motivation when given for simply engaging in an
activity. Rewards should be contingent upon meeting a standard or advanced level of
performance.
Methods and Curriculum
according to the behaviorist, teachers have many rewards or reinforcement at their disposal, including praise, a smile, a touch , stars, or candies.
Many people have questioned the use of intrinsic rewards but behaviorist claim that they are only to be in place of intrinsic one that should be
encouraged later. Studies indicate that rewards need to be given every time.
The Outcomes:
1. specify the desire outcomes, what needs to be changed, and how it will evaluated.
2. establish a favorable environment by removing unfavorable stimuli that might complicate learning
3. choose the proper inforcers for desired behavioral manifestation.
4. begin shaping desired behavior by using immediate reinforces for desired behavior.
5. Once a pattern of desired behaviors has begun, slacken the numbers of times reinforcers are given.
6. evaluates results and reassess for future development.
The cognitive Theory.
• many destructive and upsetting
emotions and behaviors are caused by
what people believe about themselves.
• A mentally healthy person is one who
has an accurate perceptions of things
and who can act intelligently on the basis
of such perceptions.
Role of the teacher.
• All teachers use behavioral techniques of one kind of • One of the most important
another in their classrooms. Teacher condition
things a teacher can do is
students through grades, their attitudes toward
them, gestures, and in a thousand other ways.
learn the theory and the
• Also, teacher may fail to reward an appropriate
techniques of the
behavior in a timely manner. This often happens in a
conditioning process.
school were one teacher might reward a particular
behavior but another teacher might not.
● Skinner and other behaviorist would like to see
• Teachers must not learn the
some consensus among educators as to the kinds of techniques of conditioning
behavior they would like to see reinforced and then but also use them effectively.
use proven methods of conditioning to achieve such
behaviors.
