Behaviourism

Introduction

Behavioursim as a learning theory presupposes that when we are born, our mind is a blank slate (tabula rasa). As we grow up environmental factors influences beahvaiour, and not necessarily our inherited and inherent qualities.

History of behaviourism

Early work in the field of behaviorism was conducted by Pavlov (1897) when he published the results of an experiment on a dog . When food (unconditioned stimulus) and a specific sound (conditioned stimulus) was delivered together over time, the dog began to salivate (unconditioned) even when only the specific sound (conditioned stimulus) was delivered. Later, Watson and Rayner (1920) conditioned a child called Albert to fear a white rat . Watson believed that objective analysis of the mind and consciousness was impossible. Instead, he preferred to focus directly on something that can be observed, measured and quantified which is behaviour.

Crucial to development of behaviourism is Thorndike's (1905) Law of Effect which argued that we have a proclivity to repeat behaviours that are pleasant and avoid beahviours that are unpleasant thereby strengthening or weakening learning as a consequence.

Building on Thorndike's (1905) Law of effect, and Pavlov's classical conditioning, it was Skinner (1938) who introduced the concepts of operant-conditioning. Skinner's theorization emphasized how behaviour was affected by its consequences. Therefore, Skinner identified reinforcement and punishment as major factors in shaping behaviour. Skinner's form of behaviourism with its preoccupation with rewards and punishment has heavily influenced teaching and learning.

View of Learning

The goal of instruction for the behaviorist is to elicit the desired response from the learner who is presented with a target stimulus. Thus learning is accomplished when a proper response is demonstrated following the delivery of a specific stimulus. The critical element here is the association (which can be strengthened through reinforcement) between the the stimulus and the response. This arrangement of stimulus and consequences within learning is a defining feature of behaviourism. Responses which are followed by reinforcement are likely to recur in the future. As such, no attempt is made to determine the structure of a student’s knowledge nor to assess the role of mental processes in learning (Winn, 1990).

Let me use a training scenario to illustrate behaviourism in action.

Scenario

As part of an on-boarding process, a group of newly hired employees in a company are being trained on "How to deal with customer complaints about the products/services they have received". The training is delivered online using three different modules in a predefined order. Following the training, the newly hired staff are required to successfully identify a) the nature of complaints, b) list different components of an effective interaction with customers, and c) refer to appropriate sections of company protocols and guidelines to help resolve the issue before escalating the issue to their supervisors.

After delivering a key point in each section of this online delivered training, learners have to answer some questions correctly to proceed to the next section. If they answer it incorrectly, they will be prompted to go back and review. Similarly, at the end of each module, they need to complete a quick interactive assessment to qualify for next module. Learners can download certificate of Achievement after completion of each Module, and they have also an option to choose to share their achievement in their Social Media profile. Most importantly, the learners know that success in these three modules is valued before starting their job and also to qualify for a one off incentive bonus.

The stimulus and response in this learning scenario is informed by behaviourism - particularly, by operant conditioning which is “a method of learning that occurs through rewards and punishments for behaviour” (Mc Leod, 2018). Success in different modules has a tangible consequence. Through this operant conditioning, an individual makes an association between a particular behaviour and a consequence (Skinner, 1938). Successfully completing each module will enable learners to gain recognition, and achieve a tangible benefit in their job. On the other hand, if learners fail their trainings in this company-paid for session, they may have to complete this training on their own time.

In this learning scenario, positive reinforcement strengthens behaviour by providing a consequence a learner finds rewarding (McLeod, 2015). For example, certificate of achievement, and a potential increase in commission is a reward that motivates the learners. In fact, there is also a use of negative reinforcement in this learning scenario. Failure in these training modules mean sacrificing his/her own time (and resources) in the future to complete this module. The learner is motivated by removal of an adverse stimulus which is ‘rewarding’ to him. Negative reinforcement strengthens behaviour because it removes an unpleasant experience (McLeod, 2015).

Advantages and disadvantages

Behaviourism has generally been proven reliable in facilitating learning that involves discriminations (recalling facts), generalizations (defining and illustrating concepts), associations (applying explanations), and chaining (automatically performing a specified procedure) (Keramida, 2015). Their effectiveness however is questioned when learning involves much higher cognitive skills. Schunk (1991) notes that behavioural principles cannot adequately explain the acquisition of higher-level skills or those that require a greater depth of processing (e.g., language development, problem solving, inference generating, critical thinking) (Schunk, 1991).

One obvious disadvantage is its inadequate accounting of elements such as human memory, self-regulation, emotions and imagination. McLeod (2017) notes that, although the behaviourists do not deny the existence of cognition and emotions, they prefer not to study them as, to them, only observable and quantifiable (i.e., external) behaviour can be objectively and scientifically measured. It also does not value individuality of learners and its proclivity to homogenize all learners and their responses, I think, is deeply problematic.

Bibliography

Keramida, M. (2015). Behaviourism In Instructional Design For eLearning: When And How To Use It. retrieved on 14th of May, 2020 from https://elearningindustry.com/behaviorism-in-instructional-design-for-elearning-when-and-how-to-use

McLead, S. (2017). Behaviourist Approach, retrieved on 14th of May, 2020 form https://www.simplypsychology.org/behaviorism.html

McLeod, S. A. (2018, January, 21). Skinner - operant conditioning. Simply Psychology. retrieved on 14th of May, 2020 from https://www.simplypsychology.org/operant-conditioning.html

Pavlov, I. P. (1897). The work of the digestive glands. London: Griffin.

Schunk, D.H. (1991). Learning theories: An educational perspective. New York: Macmillan.

Skinner, B. F. (1938). The behaviour of organisms: An experimental analysis. New York: Appleton-Century.

Thorndike, E. L. (1905). The elements of psychology. New York: A. G. Seiler.

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

Winn, W. (1990). Some Implications of Cognitive Theory for Instructional Design. Instructional Science: An International Journal of the Learning Sciences, 19(1), 53-69. Retrieved May 22, 2020 from https://www.learntechlib.org/p/164397/.