Behaviorism in Medical Education

Islamic Aya (Verse)

• A verse from Surah An-Najm (The Star) is presented, in Arabic script.
• The verse contains a message or guidance related to the topic of faith and questioning.

Medical Education Unit - Learning Theories (Behaviorism)

• Notes on behaviorism as a learning theory are presented.
• Key figures, such as Prof. Dr. Ali Tareq, with their credentials in Dermatology, Psychodermatology, and Psychotherapy (CBT, ACT, DBT) are mentioned.
• The learning outcomes for a lecture on behaviorism emphasize defining behaviorism, describing its principles, and applying them to education and clinical practice.

Behaviorism

• Behaviorism is a learning theory focused on observable actions, disregarding mental processes.
• Learning is viewed as the acquisition of new behaviors. Behaviorists use the term 'conditioning' for this learning process. It includes two main types: classical and operant conditioning.

Key Figures in Behaviorism

• Ivan Pavlov discovered classical conditioning.
• John B. Watson is considered the father of behaviorism, rejecting consideration of inner mental processes.
• B.F. Skinner developed operant conditioning and used the Skinner Box to research its principles.

Classical Conditioning

• Classical conditioning involves the association of a previously neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus to elicit a conditioned response.
• Diagrams illustrate the stages of classical conditioning using a dog, food, and a bell as examples.
• Four stages are identified: Before Conditioning (no response), Before Conditioning (with response to food), During Conditioning, and After Conditioning (conditioned response to bell).
• Unconditioned stimulus (US), evokes a naturally occurring reflexive response; Unconditional response (UR). A stimulus that becomes associated with the US (Neutral Stimulus - NS), becomes the Conditioned Stimulus (CS). The response to the CS is the Conditioned Response (CR).
• The four stages emphasize how learning occurs through association.

Examples of Classical Conditioning

• Illustrative examples of how classical conditioning explains everyday learning, such as associating a teacher with a specific subject or a medical procedure with a hospital.
• Additional examples detail how a prior unpleasant experience (US) can be associated (with an initially neutral stimulus).

Operant Conditioning

• Operant conditioning is based on associating a behavior with a consequence. Rewards and punishments can reinforce or weaken a behavior.
• The theory's founder is B.F. Skinner.
• Includes positive and negative reinforcement (adding something, taking something away); positive and negative punishments (adding something, taking something away) leading to increased or decreased frequency of behavior.

Operant Conditioning in Everyday Life

• Provides examples of how operant conditioning applies in daily situations, such as using social media, handling traffic laws, recycling or following social etiquette (or getting into trouble for misconduct).

Operant Conditioning in the Classroom

• The impact of rewards/punishments and association in the learning environment.
• Examples such as receiving stickers for reading books or losing recess time due to disruptive behavior are shown.

Behaviorism: Core Concepts

• Behaviorism is focused on observable behaviors, assuming learners are passive recipients of environmental stimuli.
• Learners start with a clean slate, shaped by reinforcement (positive or negative) and punishment: Increasing or decreasing the possibility of a repeated event.

Applications of Behaviorism

• Behaviorism is applicable in both education (setting objectives, structuring learning, rewarding or punishing, providing immediate feedback) and clinical settings (e.g., understanding and treating addiction, dealing with phobias using counter-conditioning and exposure therapies).
• Including consideration of placebo phenemena.

Additional Considerations

• The use of the Skinner Box to teach rats is outlined. This aids in studying operant conditioning through reinforcement (e.g., positive/negative) and punishment.
• Discussion of whether classical conditioning is manipulative in nature. Also, learning and conditioning theories for dealing with phobias (demonstrated with example of Albert and the rat);
• Discussion of learned helplessness, and its link to behaviorism.

This quiz explores the principles of behaviorism as a learning theory, particularly in the context of medical education. It highlights key figures such as Prof. Dr. Ali Tareq and discusses how behaviorism can be applied to education and clinical practice. Test your understanding of conditioning and its relevance in medical learning outcomes.