Behaviorism Essay -- Psychology Psychological Essays

Background and Description of Behaviorism in Relation to LearningThe background of behaviourism is associated with many scientists. Behaviorism started back in 400 BC with Aristotle. Aristotle believed in association and that the objects being associated are similar, or opposite, or near each separate. Then, behaviorism came into play with Ivan Pavlov, a Russian physiologist. He studied the behavior of dogs and how they would salivating (conditioned reflex) when shown just the food dish without food (conditioned stimulus or conditioned response). Next, potty B. Watson wrote a book called Behavior, where he described psychology as the process where behavior can be predicted and controlled. Watson also studied how learning can be achieved through a repeated stimulus and specific responses. Edward Thorndike described behaviorism as a description of a mans mind is that it is his inter-group communication system, adapting the responses of thought, feeling, and action that he makes to the situation that he meets. Thorndike also studied how the law of effect and law of exercise affects a persons learning abilities. In other words, if an individual is positively reinforced, without punishment, and if a stimulus was followed by a response with repeated practice, stronger learning would take place. One of the main behaviorist that bequeath be discussed is B.F. Skinner. Skinner studied what individuals do and dont do in relation to behavior. He also believed that the actions that people take are in response to whatever happened to them in their past. Skinner came up with the idea of operant conditioning. In operant conditioning, the organisms behavior (response) is controlled by the subprogram of positive reinforcement (stimulus) (Behaviorism As a ... ...orida Harcourt Brace & Company.Nnedu, Cordelia. (1997, November 19) Auburn University Educational Foundations, Leaderships, and Technology. EM 600 Behaviorism. Retrieved on October 29, 1999 from the populace Wide Web http//www.auburn.edu/academic/education/eflt/beh.htmlOrmrod, Jeanne, E. (1995). gracious Learning. New Jersey Prentice-Hall, Inc.Shrock, Sharon, A.(1995). A Brief History of Instructional Development. In G. Anglin (Ed.), Instructional technology Past, Present and Future (p. 15-16). Englewood, CO Libraries Unlimited, Inc.White, Andy. (1995) Theorist of Behaviorism. Retrieved on October 29, 1999 from the World Wide Web http//www.coe.missouri.edu/t377/btheorists.htmlUHCL Home Page Behaviorism As A Learning Theory. (1995, June 13) Retrieved on October 29, 1999 from the World Wide Web http//inst.cl.uh.edu/inst5931/Behaviorism.html