This document provides an overview of behaviorism. It discusses the key concepts such as classical and operant conditioning. The major figures associated with behaviorism, Ivan Pavlov and B.F. Skinner, are described for their pioneering work on conditioning. The document also discusses how behaviorism is applied in classroom settings, with teachers using reinforcement to encourage desired behaviors in students. However, overreliance on rewards can cause students to only perform when expecting incentives.

1. BEHAVIORISM
By Jennifer Coliton

2. BEHAVIORISM: HOME PAGE
Basic Concepts of Behaviorism in the
Behaviorism Classroom- For the
Students
Fitting Behaviorism
Into My Classroom
Key People Associated
Ivan Pavlov
Behaviorism in the
Classroom- By Teachers

3. BASIC CONCEPTS OF BEHAVIORISM
 School of thought that focuses on
individual behavior as an end in itself.
 When attempting to explain behavior,
you don’t have to look for causes.
 If you change the behavior, you solve
the problem.

4. BASIC CONCEPTS OF BEHAVIORISM
“Conditioning”
Classical- A technique used in behavioral training in
which a naturally occurring stimulus is paired with a
response.
Operant- A method of learning that occurs through
rewards and punishments for behavior.

5. KEY PEOPLE ASSOCIATED
Based on the pioneering work of
Ivan Pavlov and B.F. Skinner.
Their ideas centered around
“conditioning.”
Conditioning is a method of
behavior modification.

6. KEY PEOPLE ASSOCIATED
 Skinner worked with pigeons.
 Found that by rewarding successive
approximations of movements, he could
train a bird to peck a key in a box.
 By rewarding behaviors, he was able to
train the pigeon.

7. IVAN PAVLOV
 Studied reflexes, automatic behavior that is caused
by stimulus from the environment.
 Automatic behavior can be manipulated.
 An unconditional stimulus is given to a person
together with a stimlus that does not cause a reflex
on its own.
 Because the presence of the unconditional
stimulus, the reflex is caused.
 This process is repeated for a number of times.
 After awhile, the unconditional stimulus is not
 offered anymore, only the conditional stimulus.

8. IVAN PAVLOV
 Often used animals in his experiments.
 Most famous experiment is one in which he used
dogs to demonstrate this classical conditioning.
 The food was offered a number of times with the
sound of a buzzer (conditional stimulus).
 After this, the sound of the buzzer alone could
produce the salivation response.

9. BEHAVIORISM IN THE
CLASSROOM- BY TEACHERS
 Teachers use behaviorism by rewarding
students for successful answers.
 Instruction focuses on conditioning the
learner’s behavior.
 Learning involves repetition and
association.
 Behaviorist teachers focus on a new
behavioral pattern being repeated until it
becomes automatic.

10. BEHAVIORISM IN THE
CLASSROOM- BY TEACHERS
 Role of the behaviorist teacher is providing stimulus
material and prompting the correct response.
 These teachers believe that without repetition and
proper conditioning, students will make mistakes.
 Ex: A child who is doing their work in a class as
instructed by the teacher should receive positive
reinforcement to encourage or condition the student
to do the same the next day.

11. BEHAVIORISM IN THE
CLASSROOM- FOR THE STUDENTS
 There are also some drawbacks
for some students of teachers
who are behaviorists.
 Sometimes children constantly
want a reward for successful
behavior.
 Some students only perform
successful behaviors knowing
they likely will receive these
awards.

12. BEHAVIORISM IN THE
CLASSROOM- FOR THE STUDENTS
 Ex: When a teacher is absent from
school, they will talk to their students
about what the behavioral
expectation is.
 Sometimes a student might speak
up and ask if there will be a reward if
the substitute teacher leaves a good
note.
 The student is demonstrating that
they might only behave well if there
a reward to be received.

13. FITTING BEHAVIORISM INTO MY
CLASSROOM
In my future classroom,
students will be rewarded often
with their good deeds. This
will encourage students to do
good deeds and will help them
further want to succeed in
class.

14. FITTING BEHAVIORISM
MY CLASSROOM
However, I will not overuse
Behaviorism as to where
students solely rely on rewards.
Students will be rewarded with
“feeling good” about themselves
and things such as high fives and
a pat on the back.

15. REFERENCES
 http://psychology.about.com/od/behavioralpsycholo
gy/f/behaviorism.htm
 http://www.psyonline.nl/hof/en-pavlov.htm
 https://www.msu.edu/~mckin115/Matrix/theories/Be
haviorism.htm
 http://psychology.about.com/od/behavioralpsycholo
gy/f/behaviorism.htm