Behaviorist Theorists
Who is John B. Watson?
Behaviorist theory emphasizes the role of the environment over these in shaping behavior.
What are internal mental states?
The term for adding a desirable stimulus to increase the likelihood of a behavior.
What is positive reinforcement?
Behaviorist principles are often used in classrooms to encourage positive behavior through this system of rewards.
What is a token economy?
This approach to classroom management focuses on shaping desired behaviors through rewards and consequences.
What is the behaviorist approach?
This theorist developed the Law of Effect, emphasizing that behaviors followed by positive outcomes are more likely to be repeated.
Who is Edward Lee Thorndike?
This is the term for learning that occurs through rewards and punishments for behavior.
What is operant conditioning?
The term for removing an unpleasant stimulus to increase the likelihood of a behavior.
What is negative reinforcement?
Giving praise, stickers, or extra free time for completing assignments is an example of this which is commonly applied to today's classrooms to motivate students.
What is positive reinforcement?
Use this by encouraging students to repeat desired behaviors with rewards like praise or tokens
What is using positive reinforcement to improve classroom management?
B.F. Skinner is famous for his work with this type of conditioning, which involves reinforcing desired behaviors.
What is operant conditioning?
Thorndike’s Law of Effect states that behavior is strengthened if it is followed by this.
What is a positive consequence or reward?
In Skinner’s experiments, this device was used to study reinforcement by delivering food to animals when they pressed a lever.
What is a Skinner Box?
The behaviorist concept explains why children repeat actions they are praised for in class.
What is reinforcement?
The downside of this can lead to fear, resentment, or avoidance, rather than lasting behavior change.
What is using punishment as a classroom management tool?
This theorist conducted the Little Albert experiment to demonstrate that emotional responses could be conditioned.
Who is John B. Watson?
In classical conditioning, this is the name of the stimulus that elicits a response without prior learning.
What is unconditioned stimulus?
This is an example of positive punishment in the classroom.
What is a student receives extra homework for talking in class?
Removing extra homework assignments when students behave well is an example of how this can be used to improve classroom behavior.
What is negative reinforcement?
This concept strengthens the connection between the behavior and the consequence, making it more likely the behavior will be repeated.
What is consistent reinforcement?
This behaviorist believed that all behavior could be explained by external stimuli and responses, without reference to thoughts or feelings.
Who is B.F. Skinner?
This principle of behaviorism involves gradually shaping behavior through successive approximations of the desired behavior.
What is shaping?
This is an example of negative punishment in the classroom.
What is a student loses recess privileges for not following directions?
Using a token reward system to reinforce positive behaviors, like staying on task, in children with ADHD is an example of this.
What is how behaviorist principles can be adapted to support students with special needs?
Using cues and reinforcing positive behavior during transitions, such as giving praise or rewards when students follow directions is an example of how a teacher can do this.
What is apply behaviorist principles to manage classroom transitions more smoothly?