Chapter 9 - Behaviorism

12/10/2008
WHAT:
BEHAVIORISM
Classroom would be quiet and orderly – emphasis is on behavior not necessarily learning

Class exercise: Positive reinforcement
Suzy asked a question and if we got it right we got candy.
Gave something to increase behavior

Behaviorism to promote learning (in classroom management it would be to promote good behavior)
In this class we care about HOW they learn!
Student learn the same way pigeons due – Pavlov’s dogs – hot tickets

Learning defined as a semi-permanent change in behavior
What are the potential advantages of defining learning as a change in behavior?
Easy to measure – measureable objectives’
Outward manifestation, we can see it
Big on drilling info – so you can give a response

Disadvantages?
Outward manifestation could not be true measure of learning
Can be used as a heavy hand rather than a true instrument of learning
Can learn something but not act on that
According to behaviorism you can looked into the mind so it doesn’t exist
Developed before MRI’s, etc.

If you say, act, change behavior – have you really learned something. Behaviorists say no
If you can’t see it happening it hasn’t happened

Analogy: black box – we don’t know what’s going on in the brain – behaviorist don’t care about development of the brain

Assumptions
Influence of the environment
Focus on observable events
Learning as a behavior change
Contiguity of events – continuous, simultaneous something happens and the action exhibited immediately after, – learning is similar across species
Similar of learning principles across species

Classical vs. Operant conditioning
What is classical conditioning? Using not overly ethical J
Involuntary
Pavlov’s dogs,
students taught to raise their hand to answer question
Unconditioned stimulus (US) - Unconditioned response (UR)
CS (bell) + US (food) – UR
CS - CR
Example - math

What is operant conditioning
voluntary – we have the choice
Reinforcement ALWAYS increases behaviors
Reinforcers
Unique to each student
How do you decide which to use?
Always encourage behavior

Negative reinforcement – something negative is taken away
Yelling at students – kids be good – taking is taken OUT of equation
Kids in class be good – no homework – HOMEWORK is taken out of equation
Positive reinforcement - input added

PRACTICAL REINFORCERS (IN ORDER of best first)
Self-reinforcement – if students can do it themselves you don’t have to (And their boss won’t)
Social reinforcement
Praise – don’t praise for simple tasks – damaging self esteem
Attention – sometimes that’s all the student wants and that works well
Grades and recognition – sometimes (prefrontal cortex – long term planning – doesn’t develop until post teen)
Some kids just don’t care
Home based reinforcement – get parents involved – they know kids bests generally
This can be a problem sometimes
Tangible
Privileges
Activity reinforcement (Premack Principle)
Tangible reinforcers and/or token economy (not so great for real learning – damage to intrinsic motivation)
Good for discussion work
Food – horrible idea – DON’T – expensive, allergies, diabetes, legal!

REINFORCING THE GROUP
Group contingency
Token economy

USE REINFORCEMENT EFFECTIVELY
Specify the desired behavior at the beginning
Tailor reinforcements to individual
Specific praise
Ask the kids what works
Positive phone calls home – behavior problems decrease
Use group contingencies when appropriate
Make contingencies explicit
Sue cueing (prompts)
Equal opportunity – to get rewards. Don’t set the bar so high kids can’t reach
Different kinds of awards – most improved, 100 %, etc
Be consistent
Monitor progress

SHAPING - Students should be reinforced for behaviors that are within their current capabilities but what also stretch them toward new skills
Break tasks down into smaller sections (similar to scaffolding)
Set short term goals
Reward for the small steps
Attainable criterion
Successive approximations
Attempts that keep getting closer to right
Examples?
Write in cursive

MAJOR PRINCIPLES OF BEHAVIORALISM
Reinforcement – encouraging behavior
Shaping

Eliminating Behaviors
Extinction – can extinguish without punishment
Beware of the ‘Extinction Burst” – behavior gets worse for a time – ride it through
Don’t be afraid to tell students what you’re trying to do
Cueing – reminders, prompts
Reinforcing incompatible
‘’’
PUNISHERS
Also unique to each student

EFFECTIVE FORMS OF PUNISHMENT – don’t do in front of everyone – you’ll lose your classroom management
Verbal reprimands
Response cost
Logical consequences
Time-out
In-school suspension

INEFFECTIVE FORMS
Physical punishment
Psychological punishment
Extra class work – school is punishment
Out- of school suspension – that’s what kids want
Missing recess

POTENTIAL PROBLEMS WITH PUNISHERS – doesn’t give solutions temporary
May distract student from behavior
Negative emotional responses – classical conditioning
Aggression
Does not illustrate the correct behavior
Severe punishment may cause harm

REINFORCEMENT VS PUNISHMENT
Increase behavior -
add stimulus (Positive reinforcement reward
Subtract stimulus (negative reinforcement (escape)
Decrease behavior
Presentation punishment
Removal punishment

BEHAVIORISTS MODEL –
Reinforcement
Group contingency
Shaping
Drill and practice
Objectives

SO WHAT:
Behaviorism as a learning theory deals mainly with outside evidence of change. If a change is not visually manifest, it hasn’t happened. I see limitations in this theory as do some psychologists in addressing academic problems. Reinforcement for accomplishing academic tasks may encourage students to do things quickly rather than well. You are rewarding the product – not the process or the end result and not the journey. Reinforcement of something that students already find intrinsically reinforcing may undermine a student’s enjoyment of the activity.

NOW WHAT:
In comparison to Social Cognitive Learning (Chapter 10), Behaviorism seems to me as a lower form of influencing behavior. You are not necessarily internalizing the positive changes that occur. I see the need for this however, when you are dealing with students who have not been trained to act appropriately in a classroom setting, who don’t understand the value and self mastery involved in completing homework assignments or participating in classroom discussions. As a teacher I would use behaviorism as a last resort and work with the theory of social cognitive learning first.
If you look at raising children, the younger the child is the more you would use behaviorism – potty training, job cards, etc. The older the child as he or she advances to adulthood, motivations should become more intrinsic. Pavlov’s dogs are a prime example – training to get a non thinking response. As teachers we owe it to our students to treat them as adults, no dogs – unless they act like dogs! Lol! Then you would revert back to this lower form of changing behavior.