Behaviorism

Behaviorism

Introduction

The phrase behaviorism represents the school of psychology established by John B. Watson based upon the theory that behaviours might be trained, changed, and measured. Behaviorism is a philosophy of learning built around the concept that all behaviours are developed through conditioning. Conditioning arises by means of interaction with the environment. Behaviorists reckon that our reaction to the environmental stimuli structures our behaviors. In accordance with behaviorism, behaviour could be analyzed in a methodical and observable approach without any consideration of inner mental states. This school of thought signifies that only observable behaviors ought to be examined, because internal states for instance moods, emotions and cognitions are extremely subjective (Ertmer and Newby, 2008).

The document summarized the conditioning theories of behaviorism. The content of document is designed to explore strengths and weaknesses of the theory. Furthermore it discusses behaviorism under the paradigm of education and learning.

Discussion

The fact that man has always been interested in knowing what makes him who he is and what aspect of his being sets him apart from other human beings cannot be denied. The answer to this in accordance with behaviorism is nothing more than the environment man grows up. Behaviorism is an approach to psychological theories that incorporates aspects of methodology, theory, and philosophy.

Classical Conditioning

This was first recognized and established by Ivan Pavlov who was a Russian physiologist. The phenomenon of classical conditioning is extensively regarded as the most critical type of learning. Among the most well-known features of behavioral learning hypothesis is classical conditioning. Classical conditioning is a learning approach that develops by means of interactions between an environment stimulus and a naturally-occurring stimulus.

It's essential to keep in mind that classical conditioning entails positioning a neutral signal before a naturally-occurring reflex. In Pavlov's well-known research with dogs, the neutral signal was the sound of a bell and the naturally-occurring reflex was salivating as a reaction to foodstuff. By linking up the neutral stimulus with the environment stimulus (the display of foodstuff), the sounds of the bell alone can churn out the salivation reaction (Hong, 2007).

It is behavior analyses process that is independent of inner mental insights. To gain more insights regarding classical conditioning one should develop profound understanding of unconditional stimulus. It is the kind of stimulus that automatically and unconditionally triggers a response. For instance smelling favorite food can make people go hungry. Here smell of food is unconditioned stimulus, however feeling of hunger is unconditional response. The conditioned stimulus is previously neutral stimulus that, after becoming associated with the unconditioned stimulus, eventually comes to trigger a conditioned response. For instance in case of Pavlov experiment, the bell was conditioned stimulus that got associated with food.

Second order conditioning

When an additional neutral stimulus is launched and connected with the conditioned stimulus, further conditioning occurs. The conditioned reaction coached to manifest solely after the conditioned stimulus right away shifts to the neutral stimulus thereby making it a different conditioned stimulus. So now the 2nd conditioned stimulus may trigger the reaction without both the primary ...