Early behaviorist theories of learning

Early behaviorist theories of learning

Discussion

Researchers like Pavlov and Thorndike (early 1900s), Watson (1930), and Guthrie (1935) found that animals learn through repetition and rewards. This simple form of stimulus-response was called classical conditioning.

Example:

When a bell rang, Pavlov's dog salivated, anticipating food.

Thorndike (1905:202) extended the concept further. He came to view learning in humans as the formation of connections, or "bonds," between stimuli and responses. When strong connections were built, a learner would automatically produce a desired response as soon as the appropriate stimulus was presented.

See also
	Behaviorist theories of learning

Context for this page:

Fact module: Early behaviorist theories of learning
In overview module: Behaviorist theories of learning
In overview module: Learning theories, by Patricia M. Davis
In overview module: Learning research, by Patricia M. Davis
In overview module: Reading and learning research, by Kenneth A. Boothe (contributor) and Leah B. Walter (contributor)
In modular book: Implement a literacy program, by Carole P. Spaeth (compiler) and Leah B. Walter (compiler)
In bookshelf: Literacy

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 4.0, published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 1999. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 2 July 1998