This lesson talks about the Behaviorism from the perspective of Ivan Pavlov and Edward Thorndike. The theory of behaviorism focuses on the study of observable and measurable behavior. Pavlov and Thorndike's theory on Behaviorism are presented in this presentation.

1. Module 7
Behaviorism: Pavlov,
Thorndike, Watson,
Skinner
Unit 3.1 Behaviorist Principles
Prepared by
Mei Ann Cundiman

2. Objectives:
In this module, we are expected to attain the following learning outcomes:
explain the basic principles
of behaviorism.
01
02
03
determine how to use
rewards in the learning
process more effectively.
make a simple plan applying
the primary laws of learning.

3. Introduction
• The theory of behaviorism focuses
on the study of observable and
measureable behavior.
• It emphasizes that behavior is mostly
learned through conditioning and
reinforcement (rewards and
punishment).
• It does not give much attention to the
mind and the possibility of thought to
process occurring in the mind
• Contributions in the develoment of
the behaviorist theory largely came
from Pavlov, Thorndike, Watsons and
Skinner.

4. Advance Organizer
Behaviorism
Classical Conditioning
(Pavlov/Watson)
Connectionism
(Thorndike)
Operant Conditioning
(Skinner)
Primary Laws
Law of Effect
Law of Exercise
Law of
Readiness
Reinforcement
Shaping of Behavior

5. • Russian physiologist
• "Classical Conditioning" or
stimulus substitution
• Experiment in meat, dog and a bell
Ivan Pavlov
1849-1936
Initially, Pavlov was measuring the dog's
salivation in order to study digestion. This is
when he stumbled upon classical conditioning.
Brief History

6. Pavlov's Experiment (classical conditioning)
Bell
(neutral stimulus)
Stage 1: Before conditioning
Stage 2: During conditioning
Bell
(neutral stimulus)
Paired with
Stage 3: After conditioning
Meat (Unconditioned
Stimulus)
Bell (Unconditioned
Stimulus)
No Response
Salivation (Unconditioned
response)
Salivation (Conditioned
Response)

7. Bell
(neutral stimulus)
Stage 1: Before conditioning
No Response
The unconditioned stimulus is
one that
unconditionally,
naturally, and
automatically triggers a
response.
The unconditioned response is
the unlearned response
that occurs naturally in
response to the
unconditioned stimulus.
In the before conditioning
phase, an unconditioned stimulus is
paired with an unconditioned
response. A neutral stimulus is
then introduced.

8. Stage 2: During conditioning
Bell
(neutral stimulus)
Paired with
Meat (Unconditioned
Stimulus)
Salivation (Unconditioned
response)
The conditioned stimulus is
a previously neutral stimulus
that, after becoming
associated with the
unconditioned stimulus,
eventually comes to trigger
a conditioned response.
The conditioned
response is the learned
response to the
previously neutral
stimulus.
The during conditioning
phase involves pairing a
neutral stimulus with an
unconditioned stimulus.
Eventually, the neutral
stimulus becomes the
conditioned stimulus.

9. Stage 3: After conditioning
Bell (Unconditioned
Stimulus)
Salivation (Conditioned
Response)
The resulting response is known as
the conditioned response
The conditioned response is the
learned response to the previously
neutral stimulus.
In the after conditioning phase, the
conditioned stimulus alone triggers
the conditioned response.

10. Pavlov's Findings
Once the dog has learned to salivate at the
sound of the bell, it will salivate at other
similar sounds.
Stimulus Generalization
If you stop pairing the bell with the food,
salivation will eventually cease in response
to the bell.
Extinction
Extinguished response can be "recovered"
after an elapsed time, but will soon
extinguish again if the dog is not
presented with food.
Spontaneous Recovery
The dog could learn to discriminate
between similar bells (Stimuli) and
discern which bell would result in the
presentation of food and which would
not.
Discrimination
Once the dog has learn to conditioned
to associate the bell with food, another
unconditioned stimulus, such as light
may be flashed at the same time that
the bell is rung. Eventually, the dog will
salivate at the flash of the light without
the sound of the bell.
Higher-Order Conditioning

11. In reality, people do not respond exactly like Pavlov's
dogs. There are, however, numerous real-world
applications for classical conditioning.
Teachers are able to apply classical conditioning in the
class by creating a positive classroom environment to help
students overcome anxiety or fear. Pairing an anxiety-
provoking situation, such as performing in front of a
group, with pleasant surroundings helps the student learn
new associations. Instead of feeling anxious and tense in
these situations, the child will learn to stay relaxed and
calm.

12. • American psychologist
• Connectionism Theory
• Founder of the Modern Educational
Psychology
• Connectionism is the key to learning
Edward Lee Thorndike
1874-1949
Learning is the result of associations forming
between stimuli (S) and responses (R). Such
associations or "habits" become strengthened
or weakened by the nature and frequency of
the S-R pairings.
Brief History

13. • The main principle of connectionism was
that all learning could be adequately
explained without considering any
unobservable internal states.
Thorndike's theory on connectionism, states that learning has
taken place when a strong connection or bond between stimulus
and response is formed and came up with three primary laws.
• The model S-R theory was a trial and error
learning in which certain responses came
to be repeated more than others because
of rewards.

14. Three
Primary
Laws
Law of
Effect
Connection between stimulus and
response is strengthened when the
consequence is positive (reward) and
the connection between the stimulus
and the response is weakened when
the consequence is negative.
Law of
Exercise
This tells us that the more S-R
(stimulus-response) bond is practiced
the stronger it will become. "Practice
makes perfect" seem to be associated
with this. .
Law of
Readiness
This states that the more readiness the
learner has to respond to the stimulus,
the stronger will be the bond between
them.

15. Principles Derived from Thorndike's
Connectionism:
• Learning requires both practice and rewards (Law of
effect/exercise)
• A series of S-R connections can be chained together if they
belong to the same action sequence (Law of readiness).
• Transfer of learning occurs because of previously encountered
situations.
• Intelligence is a function of the number of connections learned.

16. THANK
YOU!