Behaviourism in Education

Behaviourism in Education J.B.Watson Behaviourism -Education Psychology - BEd

1. Behaviourism Suresh Babu G Assistant Professor CTE CPAS Paippad , Kottayam in Education

2. Psychology as a science of behaviour Behaviorism  refers to a psychological approach which emphasizes scientific and objective methods of investigation. The approach is only concerned with observable stimulus-response behaviours, and states all behaviours are learned through interaction with the environment. Must be observable, measurable, Focusing on external factors; A pparent physical motions; John Broadus Watson , who lived from 1879 to 1958, was an American  psychologist  who is considered the  father of the psychological school of  behaviorism .

3. There are two main types of behaviorism : methodological  behaviorism , which was heavily influenced by John B. Watson's work, and radical  behaviorism , which was pioneered by psychologist B.F. Skinner J.B.Watson B.F.Skinner

4. Basic  Assumptions Behaviorism  is primarily concerned with observable behavior , as opposed to internal events like thinking. Behavior is the result of stimulus–response ( i.e., all behavior , no matter how complex, can be reduced to a simple stimulus – response features)

5. Behaviorism , also known as behavioral psychology, is a theory of learning based on the idea that all behaviors are acquired through conditioning. Conditioning occurs through interaction with the environment . Behaviorists  believe that our responses to environmental stimuli shape our actions . Watson  is best known for taking his theory of behaviorism  and applying it to child development. He believed strongly that a child's environment is the factor that shapes behaviors over their genetic makeup or natural temperament .

6. “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, ...” J.B.Watson His Experiment , fear of a white rat into " Little Albert", a 9-month-old boy

7. "Little Albert" experiment (1920) The goal of the experiment was to show how principles of, at the time recently discovered,  classical Condetioning  could be applied to condition fear of a white rat into "Little Albert", a 9-month-old boy. Watson and Rayner conditioned "Little Albert" by clanging an iron rod when a white rat was presented. First, they presented to the boy a white rat and observed that he was not afraid of it. Second, they presented him with a white rat and then clanged an iron rod. "Little Albert" responded by crying. This second presentation was repeated several times. Finally, Watson and Rayner presented the white rat by itself and the boy showed fear. Later, in an attempt to see if the fear transferred to other objects, Watson presented Albert with a rabbit, a dog, and a fur coat. He cried at the sight of all of them. This study demonstrated how emotions could become conditioned responses. As the story of "Little Albert" has made the rounds, inaccuracies and inconsistencies have crept in, some of them even due to Watson himself .  Analyses of Watson's film footage of Albert suggest that the infant was mentally and developmentally disabled. An ethical problem of this study is that Watson and Rayner did not uncondition "Little Albert“.

8. Contribution of W atson He brought psychology out from the controversy of mentalistic approach. He proposed completely objective psychology. He stated environment has more important than hereditary. Conditioning g is the key to understanding behavior . Purpose of psychology is to predict the response and to control the behavior of human beings. Unit of behavior is stimulus response connection .

9. Other Behaviorists Hall Tolman Guthrie B.F.Skinner

10. Contributions of Behaviourism Great contribution to the psychology of learning and motivation. It brought psychology from mentalistic approach to human behaviour . It has impressed all areas of psychology as emotions and child behaviour . It has given new methodology of teaching known as programmed learning. It believes that all behaviour is learned in the content process of interaction with environment . It has developed new methods and techniques of dealing with maladjustment in children. Importance to reinforcement .

11. Limitations of Behaviourism It is a one-dimensional approach – do not give account for free will and internal influences such as moods, thoughts, and feelings. D oes not give account for other types of learning , especially learning that occurs without the use of reinforcements and punishments. Without previous behavioral pattern people can learn

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