Thorndike
What is the Law of Effect?
Answer: The principle that behaviors followed by satisfying consequences are more likely to be repeated, while those followed by unpleasant consequences are less likely to occur.
What is operant conditioning?
Answer: A learning process through which behaviors are modified by consequences, including reinforcement and punishment.
Who is John B. Watson?
Answer: A psychologist known as the father of behaviorism, who emphasized the study of observable behavior.
What is a contemporary issue in child development?
Answer: Issues such as the impact of technology on attention spans and behavior regulation in children.
What are the implications of Thorndike’s theory on assessment?
Answer: His theory suggests that assessments should focus on measuring specific behaviors and learning outcomes rather than subjective evaluations.
Describe Thorndike's Puzzle Box experiment.
Answer: Thorndike placed cats in a puzzle box and observed how they learned to escape by trial and error, leading to the Law of Effect.
Explain the concept of reinforcement versus punishment.
Answer: Reinforcement increases the likelihood of a behavior, while punishment decreases it.
What is the Little Albert experiment?
Answer: An experiment conducted by Watson and Rosalie Rayner that demonstrated classical conditioning by associating a white rat with loud noises to instill fear in a child.
How does Behaviorism relate to technology in education?
Answer: Behaviorist principles are applied in educational software that uses reinforcement through gamified learning.
What is the difference between positive and negative reinforcement?
Answer: Positive reinforcement involves presenting a stimulus to increase a behavior, while negative reinforcement involves removing an aversive stimulus to increase a behavior.
How does Thorndike's work influence modern education?
Answer: His emphasis on reinforcement and feedback has shaped instructional strategies and assessment methods.
What is a Skinner Box and its significance?
Answer: An experimental apparatus used to study animal behavior and operant conditioning; it allows for the controlled delivery of rewards and punishments.
How does Watson's work relate to emotional development?
Answer: Watson argued that emotions are learned responses and can be conditioned through environmental stimuli.
Discuss the relevance of Behaviorism in special education.
Answer: Behaviorist techniques are often used to develop individualized behavior plans for students with special needs.
How did Watson’s ideas challenge prior psychological theories?
Answer: Watson's emphasis on behavior over introspection challenged psychoanalytic and structuralist theories, promoting a more empirical approach to psychology.
What is the role of reinforcement in Thorndike’s theory?
Answer: Reinforcement strengthens the association between a stimulus and a response, making it more likely that the response will be repeated.
How does Skinner's theory relate to classroom management?
Answer: Skinner's principles can be used to establish classroom rules and reinforce positive behaviors.
Discuss the importance of observable behavior in Watson’s theory.
Answer: Watson believed that psychology should focus on observable behaviors rather than internal mental states, making it more scientific and objective.
How can Behaviorist techniques be applied in parenting?
Answer: Parents can use consistent reinforcement and modeling to encourage desired behaviors in their children.
What role does Behaviorism play in behavior therapy?
Answer: Behaviorism forms the basis for behavior therapy techniques, focusing on modifying maladaptive behaviors through reinforcement and conditioning.
Discuss Thorndike’s contributions to educational psychology.
Answer: Thorndike laid the groundwork for behaviorist approaches in education, focusing on measurable outcomes and learning processes.
Analyze the implications of Skinner’s theory on behavior modification.
Answer: Skinner’s techniques are widely used in therapy and education to promote desired behaviors through systematic reinforcement.
Evaluate Watson's impact on psychology and education.
Answer: Watson's work shifted the focus of psychology towards behaviorism, influencing teaching methods and approaches to child development.
Analyze the limitations of Behaviorism in contemporary education.
Answer: Critics argue that Behaviorism overlooks cognitive processes and emotional factors that influence learning and development.
Freebie: What does ECE stand for?
Early Childhood Education