Behaviorism (^^o)a

What is theory Behaviorism?

Behaviorism is a theory that born in early twentieth century. It’s about human behavior that is learned though a continual process of responding to stimuli. Reinforcement can lead a repetition behavior (based on ex-experiences).

Who are the experts and their theories?

Ivan Petrovich Pavlov (1849-1936) Classical Conditioning or Pavlovian Conditioning

He is a Russian Physiologist that made an experiment using dog. He trained the dog’s saliva (response) by a bell (stimuli). This is a classic psychology of Stimuli and Response (S-R). He used three parameters there are reinforcement, extinction, spontaneous recovery.

Edward Lee Thorndike (1874-1949) Connectionism or Instrumental Conditioning

He is an American Physiologist that made some experiments using animal. He craned them and closed the door, outside the door there was food and the animal try to get out with much kind of ways. His conclusion is stimulus can make a trial and error and the reward is an instrument that comes because of a certain response. He has three laws about learning there are laws of effects, law of exercise, and law of readiness.

John B Watson (1878-1958) Behaviorism

He is an American Psychologist, add he said behaviorism is restricts psychology to the study of objectively observable behavior and explains behavior in terms of stimulus and response.

Clark Hull (1884-1952) Systematic Behavior

He is an American Psychologist, he said:

“…the human tendency to respond in a certain way in the presence of a given stimulus—that is, to learn—depends on several factors. These factors include the number of previously rewarded practices the learner has experienced; the internal drive, or need, of the learner; and the external incentives offered to the learner.” (Encarta)

Edwin Ray Guthrie (1886-1959) Theory Contiguity

“He is an American behaviorist who attempted to develop a learning theory in which the role of reinforcement (reward or punishment) in a stimulus-response connection is secondary. Contiguity between the stimulus and the response was the crucial factor. Reinforcement merely brought the learning trial to an end, preventing further responses that might become bonded to the stimulus.” (Encarta)

Burrhus Frederic Skinner (1904-1990) Operant Conditioning

He is an American Psychologist who said that the key to understand individual behavior is located on our understanding to one stimulus to the other stimulus, the response and the consequence that happened because of the response. Reinforcement is important than the punishment. Because reinforcement will shape a good behavior and it will be stronger if there is repetition.

What is the application?

Behaviorism application is applied when teacher explain about the goal, scope, lesson relevancy, and material explanation as stimulus. Response can be applied when student answer the test after they mastery the material or their work activities.

Source:

Discussion at Psychology of Education class on Wednesday, 25^th January 2012

Winataputra, Udin S, dkk. 2007. Teori Belajar dan pembelajaran. Jakarta: UT

Cherrington, Ruth. Behaviorism. 2000. Routledge Encyclopedia of Language Teaching & Learning, p74-76, 3p. January 20, 2012 from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=17365601&site=ehost-live

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