ASSIGNMENT on

TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT

TOPIC: LEARNING THEORIES

Submitted To

Submitted By

Asst.Prof KIRNA VIJAY

AMAL REMESH (13)

ANAS P A (14)
MBA K1

Behaviorism
Behaviorism is an approach to psychology focuses on an individual's behavior. It
combines elements of philosophy, methodology, and theory. It emerged in the early
twentieth century as a reaction to "mentalistic" psychology, which often had difficulty
making predictions that could be tested using rigorous experimental methods. The
primary tenet of methodological behaviorism, as expressed in the writings of John B.
Watson and others, is that psychology should have only concerned itself with observable
events. There has been a drastic shift in behaviorist philosophies throughout the 1940s
and 1950s and again since the 1980s.
Behaviorism assumes that a learner is essentially passive, responding to
environmental stimuli.
Believes that a learner starts out with a clean slate, and behavior is shaped by
positive and negative reinforcement.
Reinforcement, positive or negative, increases the possibility of an event
happening again.
Punishment, both positive and negative, decreases the possibility of an event
happening again.
Positive reinforcement is the application of a stimulus.
Negative reinforcement is the withdrawal of a stimulus.
Behaviorism is a precursor to cognitive learning.
Behavioral Learning Theory
According to the behaviorists, learning can be defined as the relatively permanent
change in behavior brought about as a result of experience or practice.
Behaviorists recognize that learning is an internal event.
The term "learning theory" is often associated with the behavioral view.
The focus of the behavioral approach is on how the environment impacts overt
behavior.

There are three types of behavioral learning theories:

1. Classical conditioning
2. Operant conditioning
3. Social learning theory
Important people in Behaviorism
Ivan Pavlov- Did the experiment with the dogs. Came up with the theory of
classical conditioning.
B.F. Skinner- Developed the theory of operant conditioning. Operant
Conditioning is the use of consequences to modify the occurrence and form of
behavior.
John B. Watson- The Little Albert experiment. He gets credit for establishing
the psychological school of behaviorism.
Classical Conditioning Theory
Classical conditioning was the first type of learning to be discovered and studied within
the behaviorist tradition. Conditioning is a kind of response build up through repeated
exposure.
Pavlovs Classical Conditioning
Who is Pavlov?
Ian Pavlov was a famous Russian psychologist
He lived from 1849 to 1936
He made many discoveries in the psychology field
Pavlov won the Nobel Prize in psychology in 1904

What is Classical Conditioning?

Classical Conditioning- A learned reflex/response that you do when evoked by a
stimulus
Pavlov performed experiments with dogs on to collect saliva
He noticed that the dogs would salivate when powdered meat was present
Pavlov associated the ringing of a bell with the presence of powdered meat
He rang the bell every time the dogs were served food
Pavlov started ringing the bell and the dogs would salivate without the powdered
meat being present
Thus, a learned reflex

Practical examples
1. In the Classroom
Teachers can use classical conditioning to quiet down the students

 Example:
First day of class, students walk into class and teacher sits at desk
Teacher goes towards board when ready to teach and children quiet down
Second day of class, students are chatty when the teacher goes to the board.
Teacher asks to be quiet.
Third day of class, students are automatically quiet when the teacher walks
to the board
2. In the Classroom
Teachers can use classical conditioning to quiet down the students
Example:
First day of class, the teacher turns on the projector to do their lesson and
students quiet down
Second day of class, the students are still chatty when the projector turns
on. The teacher must ask them to quiet down
Third day of class, the students quiet down when the projector is turned on
Major types of classical conditioning
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Forward conditioning
Delay Conditioning
Trace conditioning
Simultaneous conditioning
Backward conditioning
Temporal conditioning
Unpaired conditioning

CLASSICAL CONDITIONING APPLICATIONS

Repetition of advertisements
Stimulus generalization
Stimulus discrimination

Operant Conditioning
Operant Conditioning deals with operant - intentional actions that have an effect on the
surrounding environment. Skinner set out to identify the processes which made certain
operant behaviors more or less likely to occur.
Skinner's theory of operant conditioning was based on the work of Thorndike (1905).
Edward Thorndike studied learning in animals using a puzzle box to propose the theory
known as the 'Law of Effect'.
BF Skinner: Operant Conditioning
Skinner is regarded as the father of Operant Conditioning, but his work was based on
Thorndikes law of effect. Skinner introduced a new term into the Law of Effect Reinforcement. Behavior which is reinforced tends to be repeated (i.e. strengthened);
behavior which is not reinforced tends to die out-or be extinguished (i.e. weakened).
Skinner (1948) studied operant conditioning by conducting experiments using animals
which he placed in a 'Skinner Box' which was similar to Thorndikes puzzle box.

B.F. Skinner (1938) coined the term operant conditioning; it means roughly changing of
behavior by the use of reinforcement which is given after the desired response. Skinner
identified three types of responses or operant that can follow behavior.
Neutral operant: responses from the environment that neither increase nor
decrease the probability of a behavior being repeated.
Reinforces: Responses from the environment that increase the probability of a
behavior being repeated. Reinforces can be either positive or negative.
Punishers: Responses from the environment that decrease the likelihood of a
behavior being repeated. Punishment weakens behavior.
Operant Conditioning Assumptions

Human behavior can be explained by a set of laws

Behavior should be studied at its simplest, most fundamental level
Principles of learning derived from research with animals should apply to humans
A change in behavior is the only basis for concluding that learning has occurred
Basic Principles of Operant Conditioning

 Positive Reinforcement
Strengthening a behavior (increasing the probability that it will reoccur) by
presenting a
Positive stimulus immediately after the behavior has occurred.
Negative Reinforcement
Strengthening a behavior (increasing the probability that it will reoccur) by
removing a negative stimulus immediately after the behavior has occurred.
Presentation Punishment (Type I)
Weakening a behavior (decreasing) the probability that it will reoccur) by
presenting an aversive stimulus immediately after the behavior has occurred
Removal Punishment (Type II, or time-out)
Weakening a behavior (decreasing the probability that it will reoccur) by
removing a positive stimulus immediately after the behavior has occurred
Extinction
When a previously reinforced behavior decreases in frequency and eventually
Ceases altogether because reinforcement is withheld.
Spontaneous Recovery
When an extinguished behavior reappears without having been reinforced.
Applications of Operant Conditioning Principles
Type of

Purpose

Program
Drill

and

Practice knowledge and skills learned earlier to produce fast and

Practice

accurate responses

Tutorial

Teach new information (e.g., facts, definitions, concepts) and

skills

Problem-Solving

Teach new information and skills and provide an opportunity to

Programs:

apply what was learned in a meaningful context that would

Simulations and

otherwise be unavailable because of cost, physical danger, and

Games

time constraints

Social Learning Theory (Albert Bandura)

The social learning theory of Bandura emphasizes the importance of observing
and modeling the behaviors, attitudes, and emotional reactions of others. Bandura (1977)
states: "Learning would be exceedingly laborious, not to mention hazardous, if people
had to rely solely on the effects of their own actions to inform them what to do.
Fortunately, most human behavior is learned observationally through modeling: from
observing others one forms an idea of how new behaviors are performed, and on later
occasions this coded information serves as a guide for action." Social learning theory
explains human behavior in terms of continuous reciprocal interaction between
cognitive, behavioral, an environmental influences. The component processes underlying
observational learning are:
1. Attention,

including

modeled

events

(distinctiveness,

affective

valence,

complexity, prevalence, functional value) and observer characteristics (sensory

capacities, arousal level, perceptual set, past reinforcement),
2. Retention, including symbolic coding, cognitive organization, symbolic rehearsal,
motor rehearsal),
3. Motor Reproduction, including physical capabilities, self-observation of
reproduction, accuracy of feedback, and
4. Motivation, including external, vicarious and self-reinforcement.

Because it encompasses attention, memory and motivation, social learning

theory spans both cognitive and behavioral frameworks. Bandura's theory improves
upon the strictly behavioral interpretation of modeling provided by Miller & Dollard
(1941). Banduras work is related to the theories of Vygotsky and Lave which also
emphasize the central role of social learning.
Example: The most common (and pervasive) examples of social learning situations
are television commercials. Commercials suggest that drinking a certain beverage or
using a particular hair shampoo will make us popular and win the admiration of
attractive people. Depending upon the component processes involved (such as
attention or motivation), we may model the behavior shown in the commercial and
buy the product being advertised.
Social learning Principles
1.The highest level of observational learning is achieved by first organizing and
rehearsing the modeled behavior symbolically and then enacting it overtly.
Coding modeled behavior into words, labels or images results in better
retention than simply observing.
2.Individuals are more likely to adopt a modeled behavior if it results in outcomes
they value.
3.Individuals are more likely to adopt a modeled behavior if the model is similar
to the observer and has admired status and the behavior has functional value.
References
Skinner -Operant Conditioning by Saul McLeod twitter icon published
2007, updated 2015
Operant conditioning article in Scholarpedia
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis
Albert Bandura (1971). "Social Learning Theory" (PDF). General Learning
Corporation. Retrieved 25 December 2013.
Bandura, A. (1977). Social Learning Theory. New York: General Learning
Press.
Bandura, A. (1969). Principles of Behavior Modification. New York: Holt,
Rinehart & Winston.
Bandura, A. & Walters, R. (1963). Social Learning and Personality
Development. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.