BEHAVIORISM TODAY

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BEHAVIORISM TODAY

• Deborah Clark Ford
• EDU 6542
• November 9, 2006

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B.F. Skinner (1904 1990)

• Theory
• Behavior is followed by a
• consequence and the
• consequence modifies the
• tendency for repeat
• behavior.
• http//www.bfskinner.org/

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WHAT IS BEHAVIORISM?

• A school of psychology that
• confines itself to the study of
• observable and quantifiable
• aspects of behavior and excludes
• subjective phenomena, such as
• emotions or motives.

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THE EDUCATORS BEHAVIOR

• Behavioral Objective
• 1. Audience
• 2. Behavior
• 3. Condition
• 4. Degree
• Operant Conditioning
• 1. Positive Reinforcement
• 2. Negative Reinforcement
• 3. Extinction
• 4. Punishment
• Summary

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Behavioral Objective

• A behavioral objective used by
• most educators can be
• summed up using the
• mnemonic device ABCD.
  (Schweir, 1998)

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A B C D

• A - Audience
• What the students are to be taught
• B Behavior
• What the students will be
  expected to do

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A B C D(cont.)

• C Condition
• Circumstances under which the behavior
  will occur
• D Degree
• The percent of correct responses

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Operant Conditioning

• Positive Reinforcement
• Giving a reward
• (Good grades equal good study habits)
• Negative Reinforcement
• Undesirable consequences
• (Undesirable situations will detour
  repetitive disruptive behavior )

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Operant Conditioning (cont.)

• Extinction
• Responses that are not reinforced will not
  likely be repeated
• (Students who ignore the class clown will
  likely deter his behavior)

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Operant Conditioning (cont.)

• Punishment
• Responses that bring painful and undesirable
  consequences will be suppressed
• (Consequences for actions)

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Conclusion

• Newfound Knowledge
• Discipline

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References

• Skinner, B.F. (1974). About behaviorism. New
  York Knopf.
• Schweir, R.A. (1995). Schwiercourses, EDCMM 802,
  unpublished manuscript, University of
  Saskatchewan at Saskatoon, Canada.
• Forcier, R. Descy, D. (2005). The computer as
  an educational tool productivity and problem
  solving. 4th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ Pearson
  Merrill Prentice Hall.