Behavioral Approaches to Learning and Teaching

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Behavioral Approaches to Learning and Teaching

• FOUN 3100
• Sondra M. Parmer
• Auburn University
• Fall 2003

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What is learning?

• Examples of learning
• Learning addition
• Learning to drive
• Learning social interaction
• Examples of things that are NOT learning
• Reflexive behavior (e.g., swallowing)
• Innate abilities

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Approaches to Learning

• Behavioral emphasis on experiences
• Cognitive emphasis on mental process
• Social cognitive
• Cognitive information-processing
• Cognitive constructivist
• Social constructivist

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Behavioral Approaches to Learning
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Classical Conditioning

• A type of learning in which an organism learns to
  connect or associate stimuli.

Neutral stimulus meaningful stimulus
response
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Classical Conditioning Ivan Pavlov
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Classical Conditioning
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Classical Conditioning

• Generalization involves the tendency of a new
  stimulus similar to the original conditioned
  stimulus to produce a similar response (e.g.,
  test anxiety biology test chemistry test).

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Classical Conditioning

• Discrimination occurs when the organism
  responds to a certain stimuli but not others
  (e.g., test anxiety English test).

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Classical Conditioning

• Extinction involves weakening of the
  conditioned response in the absence of the
  unconditioned stimulus (e.g., good grades on test
  fading of test anxiety).

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Classical Conditioning

• Good at explaining how neutral stimuli becomes
  associated with unlearned, involuntary responses.
• Good at understanding students anxieties and
  fears.
• Not as effective at explaining voluntary
  behaviors.

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Classical Conditioning Activity

• Get into groups of 3-4 people.
• Determine an example of classical conditioning.
• Each group will present their example in the form
  of a skit to the rest of the class.
• The class will try to identify the following
• Unconditioned stimulus
• Conditioned stimulus
• Unconditioned response
• Conditioned response

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Operant Conditioning

• A form of learning in which the consequences of
  behavior produce changes in the probability that
  the behavior will occur.
• Example When John made good grades behavior
  his parents gave him money consequence so he
  continued to make good grades future behavior.

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Operant Conditioning

• Thorndike
• Cats in puzzle boxes
• Thorndikes Law of Effect
• Behaviors followed by positive outcomes are
  strengthened behaviors followed by negative
  outcomes are weakened.
• Positive Example I sing a song you applaud for
  me I continue to sing.
• Negative Example I sing a song you boo at me
  and throw tomatoes I no longer sing.

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B. F. Skinner
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Operant Conditioning

• Reinforcement (reward) increases the
  probability a response will occur
• Positive reinforcement frequency of a response
  increases because it is followed by a rewarding
  stimulus
• Negative reinforcement frequency of a response
  increases because it is followed by the removal
  of an aversive stimulus
• Punishment decreases the probability a response
  will occur

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Examples of Positive Reinforcement

• My son scores a goal in soccer behavior I
  praise him consequence He continues to try to
  score goals future behavior.
• Student begins using the adverb well correctly
  behavior She receives extra time in the
  reading area consequence Student continues to
  use well appropriately future behavior.

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Examples of Negative Reinforcement

• Student comes to class on time behavior
  Teacher stops writing students name on the board
  consequence Student continues to come to class
  on time future behavior.
• Student completes homework after school
  behavior Parents stop nagging at student to
  complete homework consequence Student
  increasingly completes homework after school
  future behavior.

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Examples of Punishment

• Student is caught cheating behavior Student is
  placed in ISS consequence Student does not
  cheat again future behavior.
• Two students are disruptive during class
  behavior Students are reprimanded by the
  teacher consequence Students become silent
  during class future behavior.

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Punishment vs. Negative Reinforcement
Increases the probability that the response will
occur.

• Decreases the likelihood that the response
  will occur.

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Operant Conditioning Activity

• Get into groups of 3-4 people.
• Determine an example of
• positive reinforcement
• negative reinforcement
• punishment
• Each group will present their examples to the
  rest of the class.
• The class will try to identify each of the above
  as well as identify the behavior, consequence and
  future behavior.

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Applied Behavior Analysis in Education

• Applies operant conditioning to change human
  behavior. It increases desirable behavior while
  decreasing undesirable behavior.

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Increasing Desirable Behaviors

• Choose effective reinforcers
• Tailored for individuals
• Natural ones praise and privilege
• Premack principle a high probability activity
  can serve as a reinforcer for a low probability
  activity
• Example If you complete the assignment, you may
  have 5 extra minutes at recess.

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Increasing Desirable Behaviors

• Make the reinforcer contingent and timely
  provide the reward only after the child performs
  the behavior.
• Example If you clean up your area, then you may
  listen to music.

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Increasing Desirable Behaviors

• Use the best schedule of reinforcement
• Fixed-ratio schedule
• A behavior is reinforced after a set number of
  responses
• Variable-ratio schedule
• A behavior is reinforced after an average number
  of times, but on an unpredictable basis
• Fixed-interval schedule
• First appropriate response after a fixed amount
  of time is reinforced
• Variable-interval schedule
• A response is reinforced after a variable amount
  of time has elapsed

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Increasing Desirable Behaviors

• Consider contracting putting reinforcement
  contingencies in writing.
• Using prompts and shaping
• Prompt an added stimulus or cue that is given
  just before a response and increases the
  likelihood that the response will occur. (e.g.,
  peace and quiet)
• Shaping teaching new behaviors by reinforcing
  successive approximations to a specified target
  behavior (e.g., tennis ball activity)

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Decreasing Undesirable Behaviors

• Use differential reinforcement reinforce
  behavior that is more appropriate (e.g.,
  reinforce a student for raising hand to answer
  rather than blurting out answer)
• Terminate reinforcement (extinction) withdraw
  positive reinforcement from inappropriate
  behavior and reward the appropriate behavior
  (e.g., thank you for sitting in your seat so
  quietly

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Decreasing Undesirable Behavior

• Remove desirable stimuli
• Time-out
• Response cost
• Present aversive stimuli
• Example Lack of sharing parental verbal
  disappointment

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Divide into four groups of six people. Each group
will consider one of the following students'
undesirable behaviors. Each group will determine
strategies for decreasing the behaviors listed.
What is the best strategy for each? Report back
to the class your strategies for decreasing the
behavior.1) Andrew, who likes to utter
profanities every now and then 2) Sandy, who
tells you to quit bugging her when you ask her
questions 3) Matt, who likes to mess up other
students' papers 4) Rebecca, who frequently
talks with other students around her while you
are explaining or demonstrating something.
IN CLASS ACTIVITY
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Social Cognitive Approaches to Learning
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Banduras Social Cognitive Theory

• Social and cognitive factors, as well as
  behavior, play important roles in learning

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Banduras Reciprocal Determinism Model
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Observational Learning

• Also known as imitation or modeling
• Classic Bobo doll study
• The application of consequences is not necessary
  for learning to take place
• Rather learning can occur through the simple
  processes of observing someone else's activity

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Banduras Contemporary Model of Observational
Learning

• Bandura formulated his findings in a four-step
  pattern which combines a cognitive view and an
  operant view of learning.
• Attention -- the individual notices something in
  the environment
• Retention -- the individual remembers what was
  noticed
• Reproduction -- the individual produces an action
  that is a copy of what was noticed
• Motivation -- the environment delivers a
  consequence that changes the probability the
  behavior will be emitted again (reinforcement and
  punishment)

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Cognitive Behavior Approaches

• Emphasize getting students to monitor, manage,
  and regulate their own behavior.
• Self-instructional techniques that can be taught
  to students for self-monitoring
• prepare for anxiety or stress
• confront and handle the anxiety or stress
• cope with feelings at critical moments
• use reinforcing self-statements

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