1. Behaviorism and Education
By: Sara Roushandel

2. Menu Page
• What is Behaviorism
– Classical vs. Operant Conditioning
• Behaviorism theorist’s
– B.F. Skinner and John B. Watson
• Behaviorism in the classroom
– Teachers and Students
• Behaviorism and my educational philosophy
• Final thoughts: Pros and Cons to Behaviorism

3. What is Behaviorism?
• Idea that behavior is acquired
through conditioning.
• Measures behavior by
a learner’s response to
stimuli.
• A learner’s response to stimuli
can be reinforced using positive or
negative feedback.
• There are 2 types of
conditioning…

4. Classical Conditioning
Classical conditioning involves pairing a naturally occurring stimulus with a
response. Then a previous neutral stimulus is paired with the naturally
occurring stimulus. The neutral stimulus begins to evoke the same response
without the natural occurring stimulus.

5. Operant Conditioning
• Method that
occurs using
negative and
positive
reinforcement (or
rewards and
punishments).

6. B.F. Skinner
• Invented the “Skinner
Box”- associated with
operant conditioning
• “Education is what
survives when what
has been learned
has been forgotten”
• “The consequences
of an act affect the
probability of it
happening again” March 1904 - August 1990

7. John B. Watson
• “Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-
formed, and my own specified world to
bring them up in and I guarantee to take
any one at random and train him to
become any type of specialist I might
select- doctor, lawyer, artist, merchant-
chief and, yes, even beggar-man and
thief, regardless of his talents, penchants,
tendencies, abilities, vocations, and race
of his ancestors.”
• Known for publishing an article titled
“Psychology as the Behaviorist Views It” Jan. 1878- Sept. 1958
also called “The Behaviorist Manifesto”.

8. Behaviorism and Teachers
• Behaviorism is seen when teachers use the
following methods:
– Testing specific skills
– More individual work than group learning
– Using positive and negative reinforcement
• One specific way teachers could incorporate
behaviorism is using a point or sticker system
to reward students good behavior or good
academic performance.

9. Behaviorism and Students
• According to behaviorism, students learn through experiences
and practices.
• Learning is also modified with positive and negative
reinforcements
• Students begin to give predicted responses to a stimulus

10. Behaviorism and My
Classroom
• Ways in which I could use behaviorism
theory in my classroom:
– Have objectives and expectations clearly stated
– Give weekly quizzes/tests
– Use positive/negative reinforcement to encourage and
reward my students for good behavior and to punish bad
behavior.

11. Final Thoughts
• Pros:
– Behaviorism is based on observable behaviors, making it easier to
conduct and collect data and research.
– Can be applicable/helpful for therapy of children with behavioral
disorders
• Cons:
– Does not account for other ways of learning that do no involve
positive/negative reinforcement
– People can change their behavior when presented with new
information, even if they have previously established a different
behavior through reinforcement