What is the Behaviorism Learning Theory? The Behaviorism Learning Theory is largely based on the works of Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936), Edward Thorndike (1874-1949), J.B. Watson (1878-1958), and B.F. Skinner (1904-1990). Each behaviorist conducted an experiment with an animal that was given a reward when figuring out a puzzle or problem. Each animal, when receiving a reward would, in turn, solve the problem quicker each time they received a reward, eventually immediately solving the puzzle. Behaviorism focuses on observable, measurable behaviors and interactions with stimuli, both positive or negative that can be improved with practice and rewards. Repetition breaking learning into smaller sequential steps and positive reinforcements are key in this learning theory.

Classical Conditioning

Ivan Pavlov

Classical conditioning refers to the way we perceive our environment, interpret stimuli and interact or behave. Ivan Povlov investigated classical conditioning. Classical conditioning is the idea that when we learn we alter the way we perceive our environment. This changes how we react to the stimuli presented, therefore altering our behavior.

Pavlov discovered classical conditioning while studying the digestive patterns in a dog. During his experiments, he would place meat powder in the mouth of a dog to see how different organs reacted. After some time the dog started salivating as soon as the person feeding it entered the room. Pavlov decided to change his research to why this happened. In his research, he began pairing the feeding of the dog with a bell sound. Every time he fed the dog he would ring a bell. Eventually, the dog would salivate when it heard the bell sound (the stimuli). Pavlov found that many of our behaviors are paired with a stimulus that we associate learning with.

John B. Watson

J.B. Watson (1913) later conducted further research on classical conditioning by experimenting with a child and rat with a controversial experiment called “Little Albert”. He wanted to see if the theory of classical conditioning could be applied to fear with humans. With his experiment, he presented an 11-month old boy named Albert with a white rat and observed that the boy was not afraid. He then presented the boy with the same white rat but added in a loud clanging noise from an iron rod. The little boy responded with crying. He repeated this several times. He eventually presented Little Albert with the white rat without the clanging noise. The little boy responded with crying, even without the noise.

Watson swapped out the rat with other animals such as a rabbit, a dog, and a fur coat. All getting the crying response. This study demonstrated how emotions could become conditioned responses. In the behaviorist learning theory, the learners are passive participants and rely on the teacher transmitting information to the student.

Operant Conditioning

Edward Thorndike

Operant conditioning refers to how an organism responds to what it’s presented in it’s environment. Edward Thorndike’s (1898) work with a cat and a puzzle box illustrates the concept of operant conditioning. Thorndike built puzzle boxes that were built so that the cat that was inside could leave the box if it pressed a bar or pulled a lever(stimulus), which caused the string attached to the door to lift the weight to create an opened door (reward). Thorndike gave the cat a treat (reward) each time it successfully opened the door. Each time the cat received a treat they would be able to open the door quicker next time. Eventually they were able to immediately open the door as soon as they were placed in the box. He tried a few different animals to see if the type of animal made a difference. He found that it didn’t.

Thorndike discovered the gradual learning process. In classrooms, we use this as the gradual release model where a skill is introduced, practice with the students then released to students to practice independently. Research has found that positive reinforcement is the most powerful operant conditioning response.

Burrhus Frederic Skinner

Behaviorist B.F. Skinner (1974) later invented an operant conditioning chamber called “The Skinner Box” that was used to study the responses of organisms and their response to their environment. He rigged a box with a lever, a food tray, a loudspeaker, lights, and a shock pad. Skinner placed a rat in the Skinner box. He observed that when the hungry rat was first placed in the box it would wander around, sniffing and exploring. It would accidentally press the lever, that placed a food pellet in the box. After the first pellet, the rate of pressing the bar increased. The rat learned to press the bar for food until it was no longer hungry. This was positive reinforcement.

He tested out negative reinforcement by placing a rat in a box with a constant electrical shock. This time instead of pressing the bar for food, if the bar was pressed, the shock would stop. After stopping the shock the first time, the rat quickly learned that if it pressed the bar the shock would stop. The rat was able to stop the shock quicker after learning that the bar stopped the shock. Skinner discovered escape or avoidance learning. According to Skinner, rewards increase the likelihood that positive behaviors will be repeated, while punishments decrease the likelihood that negative behaviors will be repeated. Without positive reinforcement, learned responses will quickly become extinct. Skinner and Watson believe that learners will continuously modify their behaviors until a reward or positive reinforcement is given.

Behaviorism In The Classroom

Behaviorism in the classroom focuses on observable learner performance, assures that the learner has the prerequisite skills needed in order to perform the task, elicits a correct rapid response, and uses appropriate feedback or consequences following the performance.

This method is sometimes referred to as a “skill and drill” exercise that provides consistent repetition and rewards for the desired outcome. Other methods linked to the behaviorist learning theory include a question (stimulus) and answer (response) framework in which questions gradually increase difficulty, guided practice. Behaviorist methods typically rely heavily on a positive reward system that may include positive praise, prizes, and the reward of a good grade. I have experienced the behaviorism theory in a few different ways in the classroom. I have used it as a classroom management technique, to teach procedures and in lesson planning.

Classroom Management

First, I have used the Behaviorism theory as a classroom management technique to teach procedures and routines. Teachers often use behaviorism methods to teach procedures (lining up, walking in the hallways..) as well as routines (learning stations and centers, independent work…) throughout the school year. To start they share expectations of the desired behavior by going over the rules. They directly model what the expectations look like and have students model what it looks like and what it doesn’t look like. They then release the students to practice and call them back to review the rules as many times as needed. This process is repeated until the students perform the procedure correctly. This approach is really helpful with classroom management of students of all ages.

Observable Scenario: Have you ever walked into a classroom that you thought was like a well oiled machine? Where students are engaged in the learning process, know exactly what to do, and how to do it? This didn’t happen by accident. This teacher had to train the students through the process of explicitly teaching rules, expectations and procedures.

In stepping into elementary classrooms at the beginning of the school year you may see this in action with teaching classroom procedures. The teacher first explains the line up expectation, then models it when “thinking aloud” in a step by step process, breaking it down visually and verbally for students. The teacher may say, “first I slowly scoot my chair out from under my desk, then I push my chair in. I make sure that I’m using my walking feet as I make my way to the door. When I’m standing in line I have my hands by my side. I’m facing forward and my mouth is quiet. I am not touching anyone or anything. I wait quietly in line and wait for further instructions from my teacher.” The students observe the teacher model and share what they noticed about how the teacher walked to the door. Then, the teacher calls students one by one to practice (stimulus), pointing out what they notice or like about what the student is doing, giving positive praise (reward) and immediate feedback to each student. The teacher may call all students back to their seats then ask them to line up to check for proficiency.

If even one student didn’t follow the procedure properly they may call the class back to their seats and discuss what they noticed about the class as a whole. The teacher would then go back over the rules/process and have a student model the proper procedure making sure to point out what they notice the student is doing properly along with giving positive praise to reinforce the desired behavior. This process may repeat until all students have implemented the procedure properly, giving feedback, either positive or negative each time. Positive praise is the most effective form of feedback in this scenario and works with any age human. The feedback reinforces the desired behavior. Throughout the school day, the class is involved in practicing this procedure each time they line up, which is quite often in an elementary classroom.

According to Skinner, rewards increase the likelihood that positive behaviors will be repeated, while punishments decrease the likelihood that negative behaviors will be repeated. Without positive reinforcement, learned responses will quickly become extinct. Skinner and Watson believe that learners will continuously modify their behaviors until a reward or positive reinforcement is given.

Positive Behavior Intervention And Supports (PBIS)

Our school uses the PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention & Supports) framework, which is a reward system based on the Behaviorism Theory. Students are rewarded with positive praise, treats and earn tickets used to purchase tangible rewards. Teachers are encouraged to praise positive behavior in the classrooms and throughout the building. Teachers use students to model positive behaviors and point out desired outcomes.

Lesson Planning

Teachers use the Behaviorist Theory in lesson planning. Behaviorists such as Skinner and Watson believe that the source of all learning failures can be identified by analyzing internal conditions such as prerequisite skills and external conditions such as instructional events or lesson plans. Failures do not put blame on the student.

This theory stresses that there is not a lack of ability, aptitude, or intelligence on the learner’s part, rather, the focus is on the instruction. If a learner is having difficulty with multiplication, it may be because they need to be taught how to add. Or if they are having difficulties with multi-digit subtraction they may need to be taught how to regroup, or go back and learn how to identify which number is larger. In lesson planning, we should be focused on ensuring the learner has the prerequisite knowledge needed in order to learn the material. For example, before teaching students to write a paragraph, we must first ensure they have the ability to write a complete sentence or at a more basic level, ensure that they can spell words properly.

Standards Referenced Grading:

Our school has recently implemented the SRG (standards-referenced grading) framework. This includes focusing on learning standards, designing proficiency scales, creating aligned assessments, and designing instruction based on student data. The Behaviorism theory comes into play in the planning process. Before teaching and assessing students our teachers need to create proficiency scales. Proficiency scales are designed to scaffold learning through the emerging level, developing level, proficient level and the enriched proficient level. Each skill builds on the previous skill. These scales really help our teachers build the prerequisite knowledge needed in order to reach proficiency. Our teachers use the proficiency scales to build instruction using the gradual release explicit teaching model (I do, we do, you do). In addition, we use data to drive our instruction. When analyzing pre-assessment, or formative assessment results, we base (or tweak) whole group core instruction to focus on where 80% of the class scores. Instruction is planned and changed to fit the needs of the majority of the class. Additional small group instruction is carried out to meet the needs of those that scored above or below the majority to differentiate instruction. Students are given multiple opportunities to show their learning through formative assessments. Instruction is adjusted based on formative assessment results. “Immediate feedback is the simplest form of conditioning.”

Behaviorism With Instructional Design

Teachers are designers. An essential act of our profession is the design of curriculum and learning experiences to meet specified purposes. We are designers of assessments that we use to diagnose students’ needs to guide our teaching, using data to drive our instructional decisions. Designers of curriculum and instruction and designers of time. Like other design professions such as architecture, engineering, graphic design, and any corporate management, we must be mindful of our audience. Professionals in these fields are strongly client-centered. The effectiveness of their designs corresponds to whether they have accomplished their goals. In education, students are our primary clients. Everything we plan and do determines learning and student achievement.

All of these professions use a set of standards to shape our work. The architect is guided by building codes, budgets and the final product. Teachers are guided by national, state and district educational standards that determine what our students should know and be able to do. We are not free to teach anything we want. These standards provide a framework in designing curriculum and assessments.

Backwards Design Model

The behaviorist approach focuses on guiding learners to reach a predetermined goal. Learning is considered to take place when the learner shows that they have met the desired outcome. The goal of a behavioristic instructional design strategy for eLearning must provide the learner with multiple (stimuli) opprotunities to demonstrate their learning (reward).

The most effective curricular design model in education is the backwards design model. With this model instructional designers start their unit design by starting with the end in mind, or by identifying the desired outcome. This starts with first identifying standards and learning goals. This helps focus the unit. The designer continues to refer to the design criteria to narrow the focus of the unit by identifying the essential skills needed for proficiency. The final product is a unit that is framed by an essential question, which points it to the big idea. Next, the instructional designer works on creating standards-aligned assessments (pre, formative and summative), and designing the curriculum based on the results of where the majority of the class scores. Educational objectives, standards, and student data are the criteria in which materials are selected and instruction is planned. This ensures standards-assessment-instruction alignment. Assessments are given before teaching if appropriate (pre-assessment), throughout the learning process (formative assessments I like to call proficiency checks), and at the end of the unit (summative assessment). This allows the teacher to base instruction on instructional needs using evidence, adjust instruction throughout the unit, and gives both the students and teachers consistent and timely feedback (reward).

The logic of backwards design suggests a planning sequence for curriculum and focuses on ensuring students have the prerequisite knowledge necessary for reaching proficiency.

Gamification is a growing approach to behavior modification in today’s schools both in person and in a virtual setting. Students learn through playing games. Gamification is the process of taking an ordinary learning activity and changing it into an interactive game complete with prompts, rewards, leaderboards and competitions between players. Gamification is web-based, interactive and gives students immediate feedback. It has become a popular option to use to engage students with online and blended learning.

Pros And Cons Of The Behaviorism Theory:

Pros of The Behaviorism Learning Theory:

1. Explicit Teaching through scaffolding instruction using the gradual release model using positive feedback is a very effective strategy.
2. The Behaviorist Theory stresses that there is not a lack of ability, aptitude, or intelligence on the learner’s part, rather, the focus is on the instruction and observable data. Data is an important key in the planning process and should be used to drive instruction.

Cons of The Behaviorism Theory:

1. Negative feedback may not be effective and may increase negative behaviors. It may shut some students down and may not be the best strategy for Social-Emotional Learning or Trauma-Sensitive approach.

1. The Behaviorist Learning Theory is based off of the belief that learning only occurs if it’s observable. An idea that I need to see it in order to believe it to be so. In my experience working with students with disabilities as well as students of all abilities, this is not always the case. Students “show” learning in many different ways. This is why, as a teacher, that it’s important to collect multiple data points throughout the unit as well as truly get to know your students. The behaviorist theory takes mental processing, cognitive changes in memory, capacity and thinking out of the equation. Distinctions between true learning and performance of a skill are important in both teaching and learning, which in turn may communicate to teachers that problem-solving, cognition (thinking about your thinking) is not an important part of the learning process. Teachers that only focus on the Behaviorist Theory may only teach skills that they know they can get an observable response to. This is why it is important to use a variety of learning theories to base instruction on.

References:

Skinner, B. F. (1976). About Behaviorism. New York: Vintage Books.

Skinner, B.F. (1938). The behavior of organisms: an experimental analysis. Oxford, England: Appleton-Century.

Skinner, B.F. (1974). About behaviorism. New York, NY: Random House.

Thorndike, Edward Lee. (1898). Animal intelligence. Princeton, NJ: MacMillan.

Thorndike, Edward (1932). The fundamentals of learning. New York, NY: AMS Press Inc.

Watson, J. B. (1913). Psychology as the behaviorist views it. Psychological Review, 20, 158-177.

Watson, J. B., & Rayner, R. (1920). Conditioned emotional reactions. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 3, 1-14.

Drew PhD, C. (2021). Behaviorism-Skinner’s Education Learning Theory. Retrieved 28 April 2021, from https://helpfulprofessor.com/behaviorism/

Gsi.berkeley.edu. 2021. Behaviorism | GSI Teaching & Resource Center. [online] Available at: https://gsi.berkeley.edu/gsi-guide-contents/learning-theory-research/behaviorism/ [Accessed 28 April 2021].

Courses.lumenlearning.com. 2021. Behaviorism in the Classroom | Educational Psychology. [online] Available at: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/edpsy/chapter/behaviorism-in-the-classroom/ [Accessed 28 April 2021].