Behavior Learning Theories

8/3/2019 Behavior Learning Theories

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FC6: Session

Madhura Nagchoudhuri & Naina Athale

Theories of Human Development:

Behavior, Learning, Sociocultural


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Behavior & Learning Theories

y Behaviorism looks at relationships between experience andbehavior.

y Concerned with behavior and rules that govern relationshipsbetween stimuli and responses.

y Not concerned with biological or inherited aspects of behaviorand personality

y Do not describe behavior in terms of sequential stages ofmounting capabilities or competencies.

y Sees human development as a gradual, cumulative and

continuous process of change.y Emphasis on importance of environmental influences.

y Experiences propel individuals on their developmental journey


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Some Fundamental Assumptionsy Behavior can and should be studied objectively

y Behavior can be reduced to responses or behaviors that

can be observed, measured and analyzed

y Responses are a function of reinforcement and

punishment

y People learn through modeling and observing

y Learning determines what humans will turn out to be

yIn all theories, some emphasis on the biological and

psychological, but major focus on social

y In all theories, the position is strongly on nurture,

continuity and universal principles of learning


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3 versions of Behavior & Learning

Theories: 1. Pavlov, Watson

y Classical conditioning:Pavlovs experiment with dog,Watsons application to humans through experimentwith Baby Albert associations between stimuli builtthrough repetition.

y Watson- children have no inborn tendencies. Childslearning depends on how parents/teachers treat them.

y Fears learned through classical conditioning- eg. Fearof dentists due to repeated painful tooth extractions;

fear of dogs due to being bitten by a dog at a youngage.

y Classical conditioning explains how involuntaryresponses develop due to associations between stimulisuch as fears and phobias.


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Behavior & Learning Theories:2. Skinner

y Operant conditioning- consequences of a behavior determinewhether it is repeated in the future

y Rewards(Reinforcement)- refers to a consequence thatincreases the future likelihood of the behavior. A) Positive

reinforcement- rewards like chocolate, stars, increase in payetc. B)Negative reinforcement- relief from somethingunpleasant

y Punishment- consequence that decreases the future likelihoodof the behavior that it follows. It suppresses the behavior byeither adding something averse or withholding a pleasant event(Kail & Cavanaugh)

y Rewards and punishment shape individual development

y Acquisition of new habits and behavior which are learned andcontrolled by external stimuli (punishment, reinforcement) arethe essence of human development


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Behavior & Learning Theories:3. Banduras

Social Cognitive Learning Theory

y Based his theory on the concepts of reward, punishment and

imitation

y Believed that people learn by observing those around them and

by imitating others

y Individuals are selective about who they imitate-they are likely

to imitate models i.e. those who they perceive as talented,

smart or popular

y Individuals imitate behaviors they see as being rewarded rather

than those that are punishedy Person/Cognition refers to characteristics of the person and

cognition (thinking and planning).This person/cognition,

mediates between environment and behavior.


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Behavior & Learning Theories: Banduras

Social Learning Theoryy Agreed with Skinner about operant conditioning being

an important source of human learning

y Humans think about the connections between their

behavior and its consequences and anticipateconsequences will follow future behavior. Oftenhumans are more affected by what they believe willhappen rather than the actual consequences they face

y Experiences give individuals a sense of self-efficacy

which refers to a persons belief about his/her ownabilities and talents. Beliefs about self efficacy alsodetermine when people will imitate others


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Banduras Social Cognitive Model

BehaviorBehavior

EnvironmentEnvironmentPerson/cogni

tionPerson/cogni

tion


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Contributions of Behavior & Learning Theories

y These theories are very precise and testable

emphasize importance of scientific research

y Focus on environmental determinants of behavior

y Underscores the importance of observational

learning

y Many practical applications that have been the

basis for highly effective techniques foroptimizing development and treating

developmental difficulties.


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Criticisms/Limitations of Behavior &

Learning Theories

y Learning theories rarely demonstrate that learning is

responsible for commonly observed developmental

changes- only indicate that learning may have resulted

in developmental changes

y Oversimplified their understanding of development by

downplaying biological influences

y

Too much emphasis on environmental factorsy Under emphasize or do not take into consideration

human spontaneity and creativity.


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Vygotsky: Sociocultural Theory

y Cognitive growth occurs and evolves in socio cultural

context, that is, depends on the tools provided by society

y Development of memory, attention & reasoning involved

learning to use the inventions of society e.g. language,

mathematical systems & memory strategies

y Language shapes thought. Source for transmission of

culture

y

Cultural influences e.g. values, beliefs, skills of a socialgroup transmitted to next generations impacting individual

thought & behavior


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Vygotsky: Socio cultural Theory

y Childhood cognitive development emphasized- initial

stages- maximum inputs & most dependent on environment.

y Knowledge a collaborative effort, constructed through

interaction with society & culture.

y Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)- tasks too difficult

to master alone, therefore guided by more skilled adults

y Scaffolding- changing levels of support to fit performance

by skilled partner. That is, as the students competence

increases, less guidance is given

y Language useful for communication & problem solving , it

is the major tool for scaffolding


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Vygotsky: Sociocultural Theory

Movement from external to internal speech:-

y Social speech- dialogue, interaction- communication of

knowledge

yNon social/Private speech- thinking aloud- guidesthought & behavior

y Internal/Inner speech develops during preschool

years- replaces private speech

y Highly developed private speech-higher socialcompetence.


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Contributions & Critiques:Vygotskys

Theory

y Emphasized contribution of culture & social experience

neglected by previous theorists e.g. Piaget

y Established contribution of language to cognitive

development-

initially independent development oflanguage & cognition- later merge

Critiques

y Neglected the biological aspects of development.

y Sees transmission of knowledge as a passive processrather than an active and evocative one.

Documents

Behavior Learning Theories