Behaviorism

Behaviorism

Introduction

Behaviorism: Theory and Application.

Background

Methodological behaviorism began as a reaction against the introspective psychology that dominated the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Introspective psychologists such as Wilhelm Wundt maintained that the study of consciousness was the primary object of psychology. Their methodology was primarily introspective, relying heavily on first-person reports of sensations and the constituents of immediate experiences. Behaviorists such as J. B. Watson and B. F. Skinner rejected introspectionist methods as being subjective and unquantifiable. Instead, they focused on objectively observable, quantifiable events and behavior. They argued that since it is not possible to observe objectively or to quantify what occurs in the mind, scientific theories should take into account only observable indicators such as stimulus-response sequences. According to Skinner (1976, 23),

The mentalistic problem can be avoided by going directly to the prior physical causes while bypassing intermediate feelings or states of mind. The quickest way to do this is to … consider only those facts which can be objectively observed in the behavior of one person in its relation to his [or her] prior environmental history.

Radical behaviorists such as Skinner also made the ontological claim that facts about mental states are reducible to facts about behavioral dispositions.

View of Knowledge

Behaviorists such as Watson and Skinner construe knowledge as a repertoire of behaviors. Skinner argues that it is not the case that we use knowledge to guide our action; rather “knowledge is action, or at least rules for action” (152). It is a set of passive, largely mechanical responses to environmental stimuli. So, for instance, the behaviorist would argue that to say that that someone knows Shakespeare is to say that they have a certain behavioral repertoire with respect to Shakespeare (152). Knowledge that is not actively expressed in behavior can be explained as behavioral capacities. For example, “I know a bluebird when I see one” can be seen as effectively equivalent to “I have the capacity to identify a bluebird although I am not now doing so” (154). If knowledge is construed as a repertoire of behaviors, someone can be said to understand something if they possess the appropriate repertoire. No mention of cognitive processes is necessary (156-57).

View of Learning

From a behaviorist perspective, the transmission of information from teacher to learner is essentially the transmission of the response appropriate to a certain stimulus. Thus, the point of education is to present the student with the appropriate repertoire of behavioral responses to specific stimuli and to reinforce those responses through an effective reinforcement schedule (161). An effective reinforcement schedule requires consistent repetition of the material; small, progressive sequences of tasks; and continuous positive reinforcement. Without positive reinforcement, learned responses will quickly become extinct. This is because learners will continue to modify their behavior until they receive some positive reinforcement.

View of Motivation

Behaviorists explain motivation in terms of schedules of positive and negative reinforcement. Just as receiving food pellets each time it pecks at a button teaches a pigeon to peck the button, pleasant experiences cause human learners to make the desired connections between specific stimuli and the appropriate responses. For example, a student who receives verbal praise and good grades for correct answers (positive reinforcement) is likely to learn those answers effectively; one who receives little or no positive feedback for the same answers (negative reinforcement) is less likely to learn them as effectively. Likewise, human learners tend to avoid responses that are associated with punishment or unpleasant consequences such as poor grades or adverse feedback.

Implications for Teaching

Behaviorist teaching methods tend to rely on so-called “skill and drill” exercises to provide the consistent repetition necessary for effective reinforcement of response patterns. Other methods include question (stimulus) and answer (response) frameworks in which questions are of gradually increasing difficulty; guided practice; and regular reviews of material. Behaviorist methods also typically rely heavily on the use of positive reinforcements such as verbal praise, good grades, and prizes. Behaviorists assess the degree of learning using methods that measure observable behavior such as exam performance. Behaviorist teaching methods have proven most successful in areas where there is a “correct” response or easily memorized material. For example, while behaviorist methods have proven to be successful in teaching structured material such as facts and formulae, scientific concepts, and foreign language vocabulary, their efficacy in teaching comprehension, composition, and analytical abilities is questionable.

Reference

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

My Instructional Scenario: Conditioning to Un-Condition

This scope is addressing the over-the-top cultural problem of operate conditioning of our children through TV media computer and other means. The problem is the continuous bombardment of advertising and other undesired stimulus (inputs) that children exposed to every day all day long and being conditioned to the will of long distant marketing personnel.

The theory is simple: To use desirable operant conditioning with a higher relevancy and proximity to the subject, to undo other “undesirable” operant conditioning that is “less tangible”. This is accomplished Not by extinction but by use a stronger more relevant conditioning that is dielectrically opposed to the undesired conditioning. Every time a blatant conditioning stimulus is present, and the children identify it as such they reap a reward of something on their wish list.  Rewards should come soon after correcting counter reinforcement is provided.

Tokens/points can be achieved either quantitatively (how many detected) or qualitatively (how hard to find) and tallied.  by correctly identifying the undesirable operant conditioning examples such as if the children identify an ad that is selling a product or influencing bad behavior. These could be as obvious as ads on TV or more difficult as condition stimuli provided on cereal boxes or other hard to notice media.

First, I set up that reward structure that appeals to my children. Items or activities that they want and then categorizing them by effort or cost. Graded and ranked as shown below.

• Activity examples included: playing in the park, sleeping over at a friend’s, or a new pet (the effort is far more than the cost)
• Items examples could include: a new bicycle, videogame, or even gift card etc.

The list should be shown to the children and displayed (like refrigerator) for reinforcement.

A ranking structure such as the following can be used:

• Silver               1          easily identified and everywhere
• Gold                5          Billboards & signs
• Platinum          10        magazines, & newsprint
• Palladium        25        Wildcard – hard to find or multiitem in single event
• Diamond         100      Not so easy to identify and can be somewhat hidden. (like a cereal box or other packaging)

Additionally, points can be rolled up into higher categories when enough are reached

• Positive reinforcement: (Providing a stimulus that an individual enjoys, seeks, or craves, in order to reinforce desired behaviors.) Is provided when identified stimulus is when incorrectly selected. This results in the addition points/tokens. Points are graded as described in reward structure above, by quality and quanity.
• Negative reinforcement: (Removing a stimulus that an individual does not desire to reinforce desired behaviors.) Is provided when as a special circumstance (wildcard) when deserved and could include a shield from any negative punishment for a period of time. This results in “do-overs for lost or future loses of points/tokens.
• Positive punishment: (Providing a stimulus that an individual does not desire to decrease undesired behaviors.) Is provided when you identify a stimulus that was missed. This results in the removal of gained points/tokens. (i.e. they missed one while looking at it and I notice it. I will be very lenient and selective here and provide just enough to make the point and keep them on their toes.)
• Negative punishment: (Removing a stimulus that an individual desires in order to decrease undesired behaviors.) Is provided when identified stimulus is incorrectly selected (i.e. they were wrong). This results in the removal of gained points/tokens.
• John O. Cooper; Timothy E. Heron; William L. Heward (12 September 2019). Applied Behavior Analysis (3 ed.). Pearson. pp. 1–1056. ISBN 9781292324630.

My Pros of developing instruction that is grounded in behaviorism.

1 – Operant conditioning can provide relatively prompt and measurable results to evaluate progress

2 – Operant conditioning is fairly easy to plan and execute a scenario.

Evaluation:    Con & Critiques:

Evaluation:

My Cons of developing instruction that is grounded in behaviorism.

1 – There can be moral and ethical implications of conditioning any other especially without their knowledge.

2 – Without a holistic knowledge of all conditioned stimulus provided, subjects could get clouded, confusing and conflicting conditioned responses.