Behavioral Views of Learning Cluster 6

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Behavioral Views of LearningCluster 6We are by
nature observers and thereby learners. That is
our permanent state.Ralph Waldo Emerson

• Understanding Learning
• Early Explanations of Learning
• Contiguity
• Classical Conditioning
• Operant Conditioning
• Reinforcement Schedules
• Behavioral Approaches to Teaching and Management
• Problems and Issues

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What is Learning?

• Learning is a process through which experiences
  causes permanent changes in knowledge or behavior
• Permanent change
• Change in behavior or knowledge
• Learning is the result of experience
• Learning is not the result of maturation or
  temporary conditions (illness)
• Behavioral Learning Theories are explanations of
  learning that focus on external events as the
  cause of changes in observable behaviors
• Behaviorists believe that learning is evidenced
  by change in behavior and that learning is
  observable.
• Cognitivists learning as an internal process,
  cannot be observed directly.changes in behavior
  are a reflection of internal change

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Early Explanations of Learning

• Simplest form of learning occurs through
  association, repeated pairing of two
  eventscalled contiguity. When a
• STIMULUS RESPONSE
• Knock Knock -Whos there
• Golden Arches -McDonalds
• 7x8 -56
• Contiguity is the basic component of learning
  from a behavioral perspective
• Three Forms of Learning from a Behavioral
  Perspective that we will focus on
• 1. Classical Conditioning
• 2. Operant Conditioning
• 3. Reinforcement Schedules

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Classical ConditioningMr. Ivan Pavlov, 1920s

• What is classical conditioning?
• Association of automatic or involuntary responses
  with new stimuli. We cannot control the
  response(respondents)
• The respondents are generally uncontrollable or
  involuntary and elicited by specific stimuli
• See GUIDELINES Applying Classical Conditioning,
  p. 194
• Terms to understand
• Neutral Stimulus-does not automatically trigger a
  response
• Unconditioned Response does not automatically
  produce an emotional or physiological response
• Conditioned Stimulus-previously neutral stimulus
  that evokes an emotional or physiological
  response after conditioning
• Conditioned Response- learned response to a
  previously neutral stimulus

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Three other process involved in classical
conditioning

• Generalization-responding to new stimuli as
  though they were the original stimulus (all
  sounds made by tuner fork)
• Discrimination-responding differently to two
  similar but not identical stimuli (only
  salivating to a certain tone)
• Extinction-gradual disappearance of the
  conditioned response when conditioned stimulus is
  presented repeatedly, but not followed by
  conditioned response (no longer salivating at
  tuner fork sound since food did not follow
  repeatedly)

Classical Classroom Examples

• A first grader feels ill when recess time
  approaches because he was beat up on the
  playground the last 3 days in a row.
• Certain smells that can elicit nauseous
  sensations
• Speech phobia cold sweat, shaking knees and
  hands
• Phobias in general

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Operant ConditioningB.F. Skinner, 1953 (Edward
Thorndike, 1913)Skinner a.k.a. Father of
Behavioral Psychology)

• Operant Conditioning is learning in which
  voluntary behavior/deliberate action (operants)
  is strengthened or weakened by events that follow
  an action (consequences) or events that precede
  an action (antecedents)
• Reinforcement is the use of consequences to
  strengthen a behavior.
• Reinforcer is any event that follows a behavior
  and increases the chances that the behavior will
  occur again.
• Punishment is a process that weakens or
  suppresses behavior.
• A-B-Cs of Operant Conditioning
• A B C
• antecedents behaviors consequences
• (stimulus) (response) (pun./rein.)
• Door bell rings answer the door friends
  at door-increase likelihood that
  youll
• answer again
• Door bell rings answer the door its
  the police,
• salesperson if this
  continues you may never
  answer the door again!

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• SKINNER BOXES
• Skinner and Thorndike placed cats, rats and
  pigeons in Skinner Boxes and showed how animals
  behaviors could be shaped by the chance
  reinforcements they encountered when acting on
  their environment.
• A Skinner Box is an experimental chamber designed
  to isolate stimulus-response connections.
• Types of Consequences
• Positive or negative
• Something can be given or taken away
• Good consequences
• Something positive given, something negative
  taken away
• Bad consequences
• Something negative given, something positive
  taken away
• Types of Reinforcements
• Positive reinforcement
• Teacher attention
• Praise
• Rewards
• Negative reinforcement
• Avoid the loss of privileges
• Take away an aversive stimulus

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Types of Punishment

• Presentation Punishment
• Detention
• Extra work
• Removal Punishment
• Loss of recess
• Loss of privileges

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Reinforcement Schedules See Table 15.1, p. 198
Continuous Reinforcement Schedule Presenting a reinforcer for every appropriate response Fixed Interval ( predictable) Reinforcement after a set period of time.
Intermittent Reinforcement Schedule Presenting a reinforcer after some but not all responses Variable Interval (unpredictable) Reinforcement after varying lengths of time
Interval Schedule One type of intermittent reinforcement schedule Based on the amount of time between reinforcers Fixed Ratio( predictable) Reinforcement after a set number of responses.
Ratio Schedule One type of intermittent reinforcement schedule. Based on the number of responses between reinforcers Variable Ratio(unpredictable) Reinforcement after a varying number of responses

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Controlling Antecedents

• Stimulus Control- Capacity for the presence or
  absence of antecedents to cause behaviors.
• Example Teacher sets a timer (cue) and if the
  students get lined up quietly and orderly before
  the buzzer goes off, they can have an extra 10
  minutes of recess.
• Cueing Timer set and Go means line up orderly
  and quietly
• Prompting A reminder that follows a cue. What
  are you supposed to do when I set the time and
  say go? Question becomes a prompt
• Providing previous information about expected
  behaviors-reminder about the appropriate way to
  line up and possible mention of previous rewards.
• Signaling when a behavior should be emitted

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Applied Behavior Analysis (equated with Behavior
Modification) Primary responsibility of a teacher
is to maintain classroom order and discipline.
Applied Behavior Analysis is the application of
behavioral learning principles to understand and
change behavior

• Baseline behavior
• Target behavior
• Classroom application
• - Specify the desired behavior
• - Plan a specific intervention
• - Keep track of the results

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Interventions Encouraging Positive Behavior

• Teacher attention
• Praise students following rules, ignore those
  breaking rules. Will not work in ALL situations
  and some behaviors cannot be ignored.
• Effective Praise contingent on the behavior to
  be reinforced
• clearly specify behavior reinforcing
• praise must be believable
• Premack principle More preferred activity can
  serve as a reinforcer for a less preferred
  activity.
• Shaping Reinforcing each small step of progress
  toward a desired goal or behavior.
• Task Analysis System for breaking down a task
  hierarchically into basic skills and sub skills
• Positive practice Practicing correct responses
  immediately after errors.
• See Guidelines, Woolfolk, p. 207-Encouraging
  Positive Behaviors

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Coping with Undesirable Behaviors

• Negative reinforcement No recess until
• Satiation I would like 1000 of those perfect
  spit wads, please!
• Reprimands soft private
• Response cost-punishment by loss of reinforcers
• Social isolation-Removal of a disruptive student
  for a certain amount of time
• Punishment/Time-Out-Removal of all reinforcement
• See Guidelines, Woolfolk, p. 209-Using Punishment

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Behavioral Approaches to Teaching and Management
Teaching Mastery Learning

• Students must demonstrate competence before
  moving to next unit
• Mastery means 8090 correct
• Focuses on basic skills
• Provide appropriate extra help for students who
  dont attain mastery

Behavioral Management

• Group consequences
• Token reinforcement
• Contingency contracts/ Individualized Behavior
  Management Plan

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Recent Approaches Self-Regulated Learning

• Self-management-helping students gain control of
  their own behavior and learning
• Goal Setting
• Set goals and make the goals public
• Higher Standards tend to lead to higher
  performance
• Evaluate record performance-students can make
  checklists
• Promote self-reinforcement
• See page 224, Figure 17.2-Examples of 4
  Self-Instruction Posters
• See Family Community Partnerships, Woolfolk, p.
  218

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Recent Approaches Cognitive Behavior
Modification Self-Instruction

• Similar to self-regulated learning
• Adds thinking and self-talk
• Often repeating words of parents/teachers
• 5 Steps
• Adult models a task while talking to self aloud
• Child/student performs same task under direction
  of models instructions
• Child performs task while instructing self aloud
• Child whispers instructions to self as they go
  through the steps of the task
• Using private speech, child guides self through
  task processes

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Problems Issues

• Extrinsic rewards may lead to loss of interest in
  learning for learnings sake
• Decrease in motivation
• Motives for influencing student behaviors
  control?
• See Point/Counterpoint, Woolfolk p. 221