Post 2 - Behavior and Learning

Description

           The readings this week focused on behaviorist theories of learning, including those of Ivan Pavlov and B.F. Skinner.  Experience as a key ingredient in the learning process was evaluated in detail.

Analysis

Slavin (2015) uses two definitions of learning that both involve the individual’s experiences as a catalyst for a changed mindset, worldview, and/or behavior (p.100).  The first scientist that Slavin discusses is Ivan Pavlov, a Russian researcher from the late 1800s to early 1900s.

Pavlov used dogs and their salivation to test his theories that reactions could be trained, as well as naturally occurring.  He used unconditioned stimuli, such as meat, to produce an unconditioned reaction, salivating, in the dogs.  No training was needed, hence the term, “unconditioned.”  Pavlov then paired a “neutral” stimuli, one that produces no reaction in the dog, such as a bell ringing, with the unconditioned stimuli.  The dogs were shown the food at the same time as the bell rang.  They would salivate at the food, and slowly over time, began to associate the ringing of the bell with food.  Eventually, Pavlov simply rang the bell, previously a neutral stimuli, without the food and it caused the dogs to salivate.  At this point, the salivating became a “conditioned” stimuli because it was a trained reaction, rather than a natural one (Slavin, 2015, p.101).

B.F. Skinner expanded on Pavlov’s research by introducing negative “punishments,” along with the positive “reinforcers.”  Skinner concluded that by reinforcing a behavior, the subject would continue to perform the rewarded behavior, while simultaneously avoiding any other behaviors (Slavin, 2015, p.101).  Slavin (2015) described two types of reinforcers: primary and secondary. Primary reinforcers rewarded the subject by meeting its basic needs of food, water, or shelter.  Secondary reinforcers rewarded the subject with objects that had to have meaning attached to them by an authority figure so as to eventually get to a primary reinforcer. Money is prime example of a secondary reinforcer because it is a means to get things we need.

There are also positive and negative reinforcers. Positive reinforcers offer pleasant rewards for behaviors.  Praise, gold stars, computer time are all examples of positive reinforcers.  Negative reinforcers describe when a behavior is rewarded by having the subject “escape” some unpleasant situation.  Encouraging my son to eat his vegetables so he does not have to go to bed early is an example of a negative reinforcer.  If I also included that my son could play on the iPad if he ate his vegetables, this would be an example of the Premack Principle (Slavin, 2015, p. 103). 

Reflection

            As teachers, we use these theories without even acknowledging them.  So often, we just view it as common sense that a rewarded behavior is repeated.  Rarely, though, do we take the time to evaluate how we might be using these theories and producing undesirable results.  In our discussion posts, we had to discuss how being sent to the principal’s office may be seen as a positive and/or negative reinforcer for some students.  Positive in that they get to explore the school on the way or hang out with an AP who is friendly to them, and possibly negative, in that it gets them out of a classroom activity they found unpleasant.  By not sending a student to an administrator for a dress code violation, we are allowing them the praise from friends that will only encourage further rule breaking.  By not issuing punishments, such as a zero, on late work, we are not stopping the tardiness. 

            Reinforcement is crucial in scaffolding so as to teach new, possibly difficult, subjects to students.  Scaffolding is where a student is lead through an activity or process by a more expert guide, starting with the basics and working towards more advanced skills.  V.K. Zaretskii (2016) established six conditions that were necessary for a child to have significant collaboration with another person: meaningful emotional contact, the child taking a full role in overcoming the challenge, the adult acting as an assistant to the child, the child reflecting on the process at hand, the child “interiorizing” the process and makes it his own, and finally, that the overcoming of this particular challenge possibly leads to other, further developments (p.155).

References

Slavin, R.E. (2015). Educational Psychology: Theory and Practice. (11^th ed.). Boston, MA. Pearson Education. Kindle Edition.

Zaretskii, V.K. (2016). Vygotsky’s Principle “One Step in Learning - One Hundred Steps in Development”: From Idea to Practice. Cultural-Historical Psychology, 12(3), 149—188.