What is its basic idea of the behaviorist theory, what are the claims and arguments against it.

1. The
Behaviorist
Theory
Ameera Qaradi
Taif Alenezi
Fatimah Alenezi
Shoog alzhrani
Kholoud Alkhaldi

2. Introduction
In today's presentation we are going to
discuss The Behaviorist Theory.
What is its basic idea, what are the
claims and arguments against it.

3. Who is SKINNER ?
• Skinner was one of the most famous supporters of
behaviorist, the view of language acquisition known
as behaviorism. He considered the child as a
"passive recipient", because the child is easily
affected when exposed to the environment
influences.
• To skinner; language was considered as a verbal
behavior. language evaluate in this view was
depending on observable and measurable. He did
not assume any intangibles mental events.
• We think that skinner missed the mental factors and
internal influences that help to acquire language.
observable and measurable are not enough to
evaluate language.

4. Behaviorists such as Skinner explained vocabulary in order
to understand and comprehension the vocabulary , we
associate it with motivations and responses. in concrete
terms. that is when we observe the process of language
acquisition in children, we notice the child acquires certain
word by linking it to the object as well linking a particular
response with a word.
Skinner proposed that: When an infant hears the word
“milk” on receiving his bottle, he comes to associate the
word “milk” with that nutritive substance.
What does Behaviorist
Theory explain ?

5. What does the Behaviorist claim ?
the behaviorism claimed that all language are learnt and that babies only
imitate what they hear through some sort of habits formation process which
is stimulus, response, and reinforcement.

6. Arguments against Behaviorism
Chomsky criticize Skinner harshly .but we think his arguments against the
behaviorism was so on point . Skinner theory of acquisition is basically concern
about imitation through some sort of habits formation process. We are as a human have
so much more than just listen and imitate what we hear. We have something innate
which actually distinguish us from animals .and there are some of the criticisms:
• 1-Skinner said that children need a modeled input to acquire like the words book, pen,
and pencil .you can point out at these items and the child will get it .but how would a
child understand the abstract words that can’t be modeled such as freedom!!
• 2-If children only learn and imitate what they hear from adults, how to explain
the child’s ability to create complex and unique structures like:*drinked - *goed

7. our
Reference
• Hummel, K. (2014). Introducing
second language acquisition. Malden,
MA: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

8. Thank you