Learning Theories

What is Behaviorism?

• Learning theory in which learning and behavior are described and explained in terms of stimulus–response relationships

• Theoretical perspective that focuses on how people learn by observing others and how they eventually assume control over their own behavior

• Learning theory that focuses on the mental processes underlying learning and behavior.

• Learning always take place within particular contexts—for instance, within a particular classroom environment, social group, culture, and society.

Which of the following are main assumptions/elements of Behaviorism?

• People’s behaviors are largely the result of their experiences with stimuli in their immediate environments, i.e. conditioning

• Learning involves a behavior change.

• Learning involves forming associations among stimuli and responses and occurs closely together in time.

• All of the above.

Piaget’s learning theory of Cognitive Development is also called Constructivism.

• True

• False

Vygotsky’s learning theory of Cognitive Development is known as

• Sociocultural theory

• Contextual theory

• Constructivism

• Behaviorism

Piaget and Vygotsky’s learning theories are different in that:

• One is of self‐exploration and discovery (Piaget) versus guided exploration and instruction (Vygotsky).

• Piaget recognized that cultural differences might have an impact, but he didn’t systematically explore them in children’s thinking processes. In Vygotsky’s theory, however, culture is of paramount importance in molding the specific thinking skills children acquire.

• For Piaget, language certainly enhances cognitive development. For Vygotsky, on the other hand, language is absolutely essential for cognitive growth.

• All of the above.

When young learners initially use sophisticated thinking strategies in social interactions and then gradually internalize these strategies for their own, personal use; this approach is known as

• Behaviorism

• Constructivism

• Sociocultural theory

• Social Cognitive Theory

Which of these basic assumptions underlie the social cognitive perspective?

• People can learn from observing others

• Behavior eventually becomes self-regulated

• Learning is an internal process that may or may not result in a behavior change

• All of the above

Social Cognitive theorists believe that people eventually begin to regulate other’s learning and behavior.

• True

• False

Social Cognitive theorists suggest that four conditions are necessary for learning from models. What are the four?

• Attention, retention, motor reproduction, motivation

• Motivation, rewards, persistence, self-regulation

• Attention, self-monitoring, motivation, self-regulated learning

• Motivation, self-evaluation, environment, retention

When the focus of an investigation is both behavior and cognitive processes, this is

• Cognitive psychology

• Contextual theories

• Behaviorism

• Social cognitive theory