Psychology Behaviorism Quiz

Course Information

• Course title: Principles, Theories and Practices of Nurse/Midwifery Education
• Course code: MIDW 485/NURS 413
• Institution: Garden City University College, Kenyase-Kumasi

Unit 2: Learning Theories

• Section 1: Behaviorism Theory
• Section 2: Cognitivism Theory
• Section 3: Constructivism Theory
• Section 4: Humanistic Theory
• Section 5: Social learning theory
• Section 6: Individual Psychological Differences

Introduction

• Different people have different ideas about learning and how people learn.
• Educational psychologists have viewed learning from different perspectives, leading to various theories.
• These theories serve as guidelines in teaching and learning processes.
• Learning theories offer a framework for understanding how people learn and structure learning.

Towards a Definition

• Learning is a lasting change in human performance or potential resulting from interaction with the environment (Driscoll, 1994).
• Learning is a relatively permanent change in knowledge or behavior due to experience (Mayer, 1982).
• Learning encompasses acquiring new understanding, knowledge, behaviors, skills, values, attitudes, and preferences.

Types of Learning

• Cognitive Learning
• Behavioral Learning
• Social Learning
• Experiential Learning
• Self-directed Learning
• Situational Learning
• Constructivist Learning

Learning Theories

• Behaviorism
• Cognitivism
• Constructivism
• Humanistic
• Social learning theory

Behaviorism Theory

• Proponents: Watson, Pavlov, Skinner
• Learning is the acquisition of new behavior through conditioning.
• Learnt behavior must be observable.
• Two types of conditioning:
  • Classical conditioning (Ivan Pavlov)
  • Operant conditioning (B.F. Skinner)

Behaviorism Assumptions

1. Environment influences behavior. Behaviourists believe that people's behaviours are a result of their interaction with the environment.
2. Learning involves stimuli and responses. Behaviourists focus on observable events rather than internal thoughts, feelings, and beliefs.
3. Learning involves behavioral change. Learning has not occurred unless there is noticeable change in behaviour.
4. Learning depends on stimulus-response associations. Associations must occur closely together in time. Learners associate their response with the stimulus.

Classical Conditioning (Ivan Pavlov)

• Principle: Association/pairing
• Pavlov's study on digestion of dogs and salivation.
• He realized that dogs could be trained to salivate by associating another stimulus (such as a bell) with food.
• Salivation is a natural response to food. Conditioning occurs when a bell rang at the same time as food was presented.
• After repeated pairings, the bell alone could cause or elicit salivation in the dog.

Operant Conditioning

• Proponents: Thorndike & B.F. Skinner

• Principles: Reinforcement & Punishment

• Learning is focused on the behaviour and the reinforcement after the behaviour.

• People learn through rewards and punishment

• Reinforcement

  • Increases the probability of a behaviour occurring (positive or negative).
    • Positive reinforcement: Adding a stimulus.
    • Negative reinforcement: Removing a stimulus.

• Punishment

  • Decreases the likelihood of a behavior occurring (positive or negative).
    • Positive punishment: Adding a stimulus.
    • Negative punishment: Removing a stimulus.

Cognitivism/Cognitive Learning Theory

• Contrast to Behaviorism, focusing on mental processes like thinking, memory, and problem-solving in the learning process.
• Learning is a change in stored knowledge in memory rather than a change in behaviour. Learners can change when goals, expectations, and disequilibrium, imbalance, and tension occur.

Cognitive Learning Theory Assumptions

• Proponents: Jean Piaget, Ausubel, Brunnel
• Learning occurs whether there is an observable change or not in the learner.
• Key to learning and changing is the individual's cognition (perception, thought, memory, and ways of information processing).
• Reward is not necessarily required for learning. Learners' goals, expectations, tensions, imbalances, and disequilibriums are central.
• A teacher can produce learning by transferring information to the learner and helping organize it for recall.

Sub-theories/Branches of Cognitive Theories

• Gestalt Perspective: Learning is directed toward simplicity, equilibrium, and regularity. Perception is selective, influenced by past experiences, needs, personal motives, attitudes, and stimulus structures.
• Information processing theory: Emphasizes how information is encountered, processed, and stored in memory. Stages include Attention, Processing, Memory storage and Action

Attention

• First stage in cognitive learning.
• Learners must pay attention to what they experience.

Processing/Storage

• Information transfer from sensory register to short-term memory.
• Levels of memory: sensory, short-term, long-term.
  • Sensory register: information is initially processed after attention.
  • Short-term memory: Temporary storage, holding info for up to 20 seconds, depending on repetition.

Long Term Memory

• Stores information from the short-term memory for long-term use.
• Unlimited capacity

Action

• Brain organizes stored information to recover it.

Humanistic Learning Theory

• Proponents: Abraham Maslow, Carl Rogers, James F.T. Bugental
• Belief that learners are inherently good, self-motivated, and have a natural desire to grow. Learners' needs drive their learning.

Humanistic Learning Theory Concepts

• Self-actualization: desire for growth, creation, relationships, and directing their own lives.
• Learners bring out the best in themselves. Feelings are more motivating than rewards/punishments.
• Learners have freedom and autonomy in their learning
• Safe learning environment, learners' needs are met (physical, mental, emotional.)

Humanistic Learning Principles

• Student choice (central to humanistic learning)
• Student-centered learning: Students take control of their education.
• Choices in daily activities and future goals
• Focusing on a specific interest area
• Fostering engagement and self-motivation
• Importance of self-evaluation
• Connection between feelings and knowledge
• Focus on the whole student ( intellect, feelings)
• Safe learning environment
• Teachers teach learning skills and encourage students
• Teachers create opportunities for interaction

Social Learning Theory

• Proponent: Albert Bandura
• Much of learning occurs through observation and copying others.
• Learning depends on: observer characteristics, personal characteristics, behaviour patterns and the environment

Social Learning Theory Concepts

• Role modelling: Observing and copying a competent model's behaviour; the model needs to be competent and have prestige and power. This behaviour can include verbal instructions/descriptions
• Vicarious reinforcement: Learning by observing the consequences of another person's actions (reward or punishment).

Stages in the Learning Process (Social Learning Theory)

• Attentional phase
• Retention phase
• Reproduction phase
• Motivational phase

Test your understanding of the principles of behaviorism, including types of conditioning and the roles of reinforcement. This quiz covers key concepts such as classical and operant conditioning, the significance of the environment, and the impact of behavior modification strategies.