Behavioral

Approaches to
Learning


- Learning by Classical Conditioning
- Learning by Operant Conditioning
- Social Learning
- Cognitive-Behavioral Modification



Behavioral Theories of Learning
which focus primarily on changes in
observable behavior rather than on internal mental
processes.

Learning
is also distinguished from the moment-by-
moment fluctuations in behavior that may occur as
a result of environmental circumstances.
Learning by Classical Conditioning
Classical Conditioning. A learning
process in which an originally neutral
stimulus associated with a particular
physiological or emotional response or both
that the stimulus did not originally
produce(LoLordo,2000).
Basic Components of Classical
Conditioning
Unconditioned Stimulus or US
Unconditioned Response or UR
Conditioned Stimulus or CS
Conditioned Response or CR
Learning by Operant Conditioning
Operant Conditioning(also called instrumental
conditioning). Is learning produced by the rewards
and punishments of active behavior(an operant) of a
human or other organism interacting with the
environments.
- this active behavior, called an operant, is the
behavior the organism, or person, uses to operate
on the environment.
Reinforcers
is a stimulus that increase the probability
the operant associated with it will happen
again.
Kinds of Reinforcers:
positive reinforcer is a reward that
follows an operant and increases the likelihood
of that operant occuring again.
negative reinforcer is an unpleasant
stimulus that ceases or is removed following
an operant behavior.
Social Learning
Social learning. Takes place when we
learn from observing the behavior of others
and the environmental outcomes of their
behavior(Bandura,2000)
note that the social learning is, in a
sense, indirect. It occurs by observing
others. For this reason, it is sometimes
called observational learning or even
vicarious learning.
Cognitive- Behavioral Modification
Cognitive-Behavioral Modification.
Techniques use a combination of cognitive and
behavioral learning principles to shape and
encourage desired behavior.