Behavioral Psychology Outline

Behavioral Psychology

I. What is behavioral Psychology? * What is Behaviorism?

II. Who 's Who in Behavioral Psychology * Ivan Pavlov * John B. Watson * B.F. Skinner * Edward Thorndike * Clark Hull

III. Introduction to Classical Conditioning: * Learning can occur through Associations

IV. Principles of Classical Conditioning * Phenomena in Classical Conditioning

V. Introduction to Operant Conditioning * Learning can occur through Rewards and Punishments

VI. Importance of Reinforcement Schedules

VII. Behavioral Analysis

VIII. Introduction to Behavior Change * Elements of Change * Stages of Change

IX. What is Behavioral Therapy?

X. Key
In the classroom this view of learning led to a great deal of repetitive actions, praise for correct outcomes and immediate correction of mistakes. In the field of language learning this type of teaching was called the audio-lingual method, characterized by the whole class using choral chanting of key phrases, dialogues and immediate correction. Within the Problem Based Learning (PBL) environment, students may be encouraged to engage with the learning process and their peers within the group by positive reinforcement from a skilled facilitator to increase positive actions of engagement, contributions and questioning. Negative behaviors e.g. lack of engagement, negative contributions, could be minimized by the facilitator using negative reinforcement. Within the behaviorist view of learning, the "teacher" is the dominant person in the classroom and takes complete control; evaluation of learning comes from the teacher who decides what is right or wrong. The learner does not have any opportunity for evaluation or reflection within the learning process; they are simply told what is right or wrong. The conceptualization of learning using this approach could be considered "superficial" as the focus is on external changes in behavior i.e. not interested in the internal
If a long period of time elapses between the behavior and the reinforcement, the weaker the connection will be. It also becomes more likely that an intervening behavior might accidentally be reinforced. In addition to the type of reinforcement used, the presentation schedule can also play a role in the strength of the response.

* Negative reinforcement is a term described by B. F. Skinner in his theory of operant conditioning. In negative reinforcement, a response or behavior is strengthened by stopping, removing or avoiding a negative outcome or aversive stimulus.
Aversive stimuli tend to involve some type of discomfort, either physical or psychological. Behaviors are negatively reinforced when they allow you to escape from aversive stimuli that are already present or allow you to completely avoid the aversive stimuli before they happen.
One of the best ways to remember negative reinforcement is to think of it as something being subtracted from the situation. When you look at it in this way, it may be easier to identify examples of negative reinforcement in the real-world.

Examples of Negative