Behaviorism

Definition

• Behaviorism first of all is a paradigm in research methodology.

• In Psychology and Education, behaviorism refers to approaches that study humans by (manipulating) and observing their behavior, usually in well controlled situations.

• Neo-behaviorism that is more popular in education asserts that thought could be conceptualized with intervening variables (see also: cognitivism).

Behaviorist educational psychology

• Behaviorist psychology considers the human brain as a blackbox that can't be accessed. Learning is considered as process of stimulus-response that one can observe and manipulate.

Behaviorist Pedagogy

• Behaviorist pedagogy aims to modify observable behavior and considers learning behavior that shows acquisition of knowledge or skills.

• Most behaviorist pedagogy, i.e. related instructional design models are actually neo-behavorist

• See also the article on learning type, e.g. levels of learning

Examples

• Gagne's Nine events of instruction, a partly behaviorist, partly cognitivist model.

• See also the whole range of instructional design models.