Abstract: Behaviourism is a passive learning theory that deals with objectively visible behaviours avoiding mental activities. According to the behaviourists, a behavioural pattern is automatic if it is repeated. They believe that knowledge in learners as well as in human beings is inborn and unchangeable. As the learning process is a direct outcome of experience and practice, it leads to a change in behaviour. In this learning theory attitudes can be modified through feedback, such as positive or negative consequences, rewards and punishments. Learners start off as a clean slate (Skinner, 1948) and behaviour is shaped through positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement (Skinner, 1971). Both the positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement work as the sources of the increase of probability of the previous behaviour’s re-appearance. On the contrary, punishment works here as the source of the decrease of the probability of the previous behaviour’s re-appearance. Positive is the symbol of the implementation of the stimulus and negative is the symbol of the withdrawing of the stimulus (Bandura & Walters, 1963). As a result, learning is identified as a source of changes in behaviour.
According to the behaviourists, learning can be measured through observing behaviour. Learners are provided with knowledge and information through teaching, and they are asked to reproduce what they learnt from the tutors. Thus learning can be measured by selecting the right answers. In this sense behaviourism is nothing but a learning theory that does the acquisition of new behaviour leaving the mind as a black box. What happens in mind and can be happened in mind are totally valueless in this learning theory.
Keywords: Behaviourism, learning theory, reinforcement.
Title: Behaviourism: A Conceptual Bridge to Philosophy, Methodology and Psychology
Author: Mohammad Faysal Sarker
International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research
ISSN 2348-3156 (Print), ISSN 2348-3164 (online)
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