ASSOCIATIVE THEORIES OF LEARNING

ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN UNIVERSITY,
ISLAMABAD
ONLINE WORKSHOP – JUL./AUG 2020
ASSOCIATIVE THEORIES
OF LEARNING
in
Human Development and Learning
C.C 8610 - B.Ed.
Presented by:
Ch. Muhammad Ashraf
m.ashraf0919@gmail.com
https://www.slideshare.net/RizwanDuhdra
Telegram: https://t.me/duhdra

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING
ASSOCIATIVE THEORIES OF LEARNING
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By:Ch.M.Ashraf

Overview
Psychologists have developed two major types of learning
theories to explain how individual learns - associative or behavioural
and cognitive theories of learning. Behaviour learning theories tend
to emphasise observable behaviour, such classroom behaviour or new
skills or knowledge that can be observed/demonstrated.
A major goal of the behaviourist is to determine the laws
governing learning. A number of ideas contributed to the behavioural
view. The Greek philosopher Aristotle’s concept of the Association of
ideas is one important origin of behaviourism.
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Associative / Behavioural Theory of Learning
J.B. Watson founded this school of thought. A change of behaviour on
the part of Learner is called behaviouristic approach of learning.
J.B. Watson - an American psychologist is called the father of
behaviourism.
A Russian psychologist Pavlov contributed towards behaviourism.
Thorndike and Skinner also propagated this school of thought.
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Associationism / Behaviourism
J.B. Watson contended with the fact that the only valid data
in psychology is the observable behaviour of Organism. To him
mentalistic concepts such as mind or consciousness have no room in
psychology.
He said that to be scientifically respectable psychology must
be behaviouristic, objective, deterministic, mechanistic and
materialistic. To him knowledge resides in our muscular reaction. He
went to the extent of saying that every kind of learning was a
stimulus-response connection . 5
By:Ch.M.Ashraf

Conditioning
Conditioning is considered by many psychologists to be
fundamental form of learning underlying the development of some of
the earliest response patterns in new-born infants. Through
conditioning the organisms responses to a great variety of stimulus
situations are changed.
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Classical Conditioning
Classical conditioning may be defined as the formation (for
strengthening) of an association between a conditional stimulus and
a response through the repeated presentation of the conditional
stimulus in a controlled relationship with an unconditioned stimulus
that originally elicits that response.
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By:Ch.M.Ashraf

Pavlov’s classical Conditioning
The best known experiment in classical conditioning was
performed by a Russian psychologist named Ivan Pavlov. Pavlov
used an apparatus which collected and measured the secretions of
live animals by means of tube's implanted in the stomach or cheek.
Meat powder was placed in dog’s mouth and his salivary response to
the food was observed.
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By:Ch.M.Ashraf

Pavlov’s classical conditioning
After a number of trails the dog began to salivate when it saw
the food, before it was actually placed in his mouth. The dog would
salivate at the sight of food dish and even at the sound of the care
giver’s footsteps.
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By:Ch.M.Ashraf

In an other experiment Pavlov rang the bell just before the
food was placed in dog’s mouth. The dog produced Salvia only on the
sound of the bell. Povlov called this change in the animal’s
behaviour, a conditioned response (CR). He applied the term
unconditioned stimulus (UCS) to the food in the mouth.
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By:Ch.M.Ashraf

The process of conditioning has been demonstrated
experimentally in many experiments with both animal and human
subjects and the conditioned response has become a fundamental
concept in modern psychology.
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By:Ch.M.Ashraf

Thorndike Instrumental conditioning
Thorndike conducted a series of studies on animal intelligence
involving cats in puzzle boxes. A hungry cat was placed in a cage and
food was placed outside the cage. The door could be opened by
pressing lever in the cage. In the beginning the cat pressed the lever
after making efforts many a time and opened the door to eat food.
Second time the cat opened the door after a little efforts. But after a
considerable a number of trials, the cat went directly to the liver and
pressed it and satisfied its hunger.
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By:Ch.M.Ashraf

Thorndike postulated two major laws of learning.
1-law of readiness
When the conduction units (S-R connections) are ready to conduct,
the conduction is satisfying. If the conduction unit is not ready to
conduct, then conduction is dissatisfied.
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By:Ch.M.Ashraf

2-The Law Of Effect
It is that S-R connection followed by reward is strengthened. Also
a connection followed by punishment is weakened.
To Thorndike “You learn to do what you get results”. He used the
phrase “trial and error”. It means the behaviour which gets results
will increase in frequency. Thus, repetition of behaviour is necessary.
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By:Ch.M.Ashraf

Skinners Operant Conditioning
B.F. Skinner proposed the idea of operant conditioning which
is a modern view of “Thorndik’s law of effect”. According to skinner
organisms learn to do what ever get results. In other words, if
behaviour is rewarded, it increases in frequency and if behaviour is
not rewarded, it decreases.
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By:Ch.M.Ashraf

Skinners Operant Conditioning
Skinner prefers to use the term “reinforcement” Skinner
suggested a systematic step by step procedure for changing
behaviour. Such behaviour was termed by him an “operant
conditioning”. It is also called a voluntary behaviour of the learner
whereas Pavlov’s dog showed response /saliva at the sight of
meat/food.
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By:Ch.M.Ashraf

Skinner’s experiments
Skinners made experiments on pigeons and rats. He prepared
a box for the purpose named as Skinner’s box. There was a lever in
the box. By pressing this lever food grains fell down and the pigeons
satisfied their hunger and thus they repeated the action when
desired. That was called operant conditioning. This very method is
used to tame the animals.
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By:Ch.M.Ashraf

Operant conditioning depends upon the consequence of
response
examples: when a child of grade-1 or grade-2 studies a correct
sentence, he/she is encouraged and thus he/she repeats that action/
response quickly. Skinner recommended to educate the child by
using any teaching machine/computer etc. Positive and negative
reinforcement can be given to induce learning.
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By:Ch.M.Ashraf

Methodology Recommended By B.F Skinner
1-Programmed Learning
This strategy was used in America about 60 years ago. Some written
material is presented to the students in small steps and hints are
also provided so that they may reach the solution. The learners are
reinforced.
2-Teaching Through Computer
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HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING
THEORIES REGARDING INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT
20
By:Ch.M.Ashraf

ASSOCIATIVE THEORIES OF LEARNING

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