(855) 4-ESSAYS

Type a new keyword(s) and press Enter to search

Behaviourism

            
             Behaviorism is the study of behavior in animals and humans. It is seen as a philosophy and as well it has a strong impact on psychology. Behaviorism relates to a few of the main areas of philosophy. This includes Ethics and Metaphysics. Abortion is an important ethical issue that is used to fully explain the view of behaviorism. Behaviorism has led to technology advances in the area of behavior modification.
             The Stimulus-Response theory of B.F. Skinner is based upon the idea that learning is a function of change in overt behavior. Changes in behavior are the result of an individual's response to events (stimulus) that occur in the environment. One of the principles of his theory is that behavior that is positively reinforced will reoccur.1. He also says that random, but immediate reinforcement is effective. The immediate reinforcement is needed to imprint the desired behavior on the learner. It is well known that behavior is affected by its consequences. Rewards and punishment are necessary so people will behave in different ways. In Operant Conditioning, behavior is affected by it's consequences, but it is not trial-and-error learning. A schedule in reinforcement is important in maintaining certain behavior. Reinforcers may be positive or negative. Negative reinforcement is not punishment; a negative reinforcer reinforces when it is withdrawn. The experimental analysis of operant behavior has led to a technology called behavior modification. This is done by changing the consequences of behavior, removing consequences that have caused trouble, or arranging new consequences for behavior that has lacked strength. Skinner felt that you must "program" behavior in the learner, but he also believed that the learner must be self- paced. Skinner was confident when it came to his theories so he applied many of his ideas with his own children. He put his children into a specially designed learning "box" in the walls of his house to stimulate their learning about the world as well as themselves.


Essays Related to Behaviourism

1. Learning Styles and Theories

Given that behaviourism explains behaviour according to responses to stimuli it does not consider a person's inner thoughts or consciousness. ehaviourists focus on two types of learning processes; these are classical conditioning and operant conditioning. ... Behaviourism is often used by teachers, who reward and punish behaviour in order to get the learner to engage (Woollard, 2010, p.63), however, not all students will respond to this kind of motivation. Learning programmes based on behaviourism are characterised by targets, goals and rewards. ...

  • Word Count: 1078
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Has Bibliography

2. Compare and Contrast two of the five main approaches in psyc

Although in Behaviourism it is believed that animals are practically and ethically more convenient to test. ... One of the differences between behaviourism and humanism is that behaviourists use animals as well as humans in the procedure of an experiment as they believe that animals learn in a similar fashion to that of humans. ... The Humanism movement developed in the America in the early 1960's, where it was believed that it would replace the two other main approaches in psychology at the time; behaviourism and psychoanalysis. Humanists believed that behaviourism was incapable of study...

  • Word Count: 1585
  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

3. Humanist

Abraham Maslow, in 1968 called the approach "the third force", the other two forces being Behaviourism and Freudianism. ... Behaviourism and the psychoanalytical approaches are both determined, they believe that our behaviour is driven by forces beyond our control, forces from within (Freud), reinforcements from without (Skinner). ...

  • Word Count: 643
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

4. Trying To Put One Label on Two Ideas: Functionalism's Failure as a Monist Theory

Trying To Put One Label on Two Ideas: Functionalism's Failure as a Monist Theory Functionalism is defined as an inherently monist theory of the mind. Functionalism rejects classic dualism due to the interaction problem (Pojman 1998). Functionalists believe that we will be able to underst...

  • Word Count: 745
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

5. Comparison Between Piaget and Vygotsky

He was strongly influenced by behaviourism. ... (Bodrova & Leong, 1996:184-185) These two theories challenged behaviourism by allowing the possibility that people direct their own behaviour, either from internal drive (Piaget) or by shaping others mental processes (Vygotsky). ...

  • Word Count: 2516
  • Approx Pages: 10
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

6. Psychoanalysis and Behaviourism

Psychology, as the science of behavior, has evolved over the years in trying to provide a better understanding of the aspects of behaviour and its development. However, due to the complex nature of behavior, no single theory has been able to adequately account for all aspects of behavior. Therefore, various approaches have been proposed to shed light upon human behavior in their unique perspective. These approaches to psychology include Psychoanalysis, Behaviorism, Cognitive Psychology, Biological Psychology and Humanistic Psychology. These approaches are very distinctive in their explanation ...

  • Word Count: 1731
  • Approx Pages: 7
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

7. History of Tesol

"Changes in language teaching methods throughout history have reflected recognition of changes in the kind of proficiency learners need .they have also reflected changes in theories of the nature of language and of language learning- (Richards & Rogers 1990 p1) Trace the development of languag...

  • Word Count: 1867
  • Approx Pages: 7
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

8. Analysis of Carl Rogers' Theories

James Goodwin (2008) writes in his book, A History of Modern Psychology that, Rogers and others 'humanistic Psychology distinguished itself by contrasting with psychologies other two forces, psychoanalysis and behaviourism'. ...

  • Word Count: 1535
  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

Got a writing question? Ask our professional writer!
Submit My Question