LESSON 4

Stimulus-response theory

connectionist theories, proponents called connectionists or behaviorists; there is a connection between stimuli and responses

Cognitive or perception theories

only the environment influences a person’s behavior; the environment interacts with factors within the person and these factors affect an individual’s perspective on the stimulus

Functionalism

collection of concepts that are chosen based on their useful aspects that can be applied in edcom

stimulus

anything that can be sensed in a person’s or organism’s environment

response

that person or organism’s behavior when exposed to the stimulus

Trial and error learning theory - Edward Lee Thorndike

learning is a matter of random trial and error; three major laws of learning

readiness

learning is more likely to take place if the organism is ready to learn

exercise

behavior is strengthened when it is practiced more and is weakened with disuse

effect

a satisfactory feeling strengthens a behavior while discomfort weakens it

Classical Conditioning Theory - Ivan Petrovich Pavlov

an organism becomes conditioned to respond in a certain way to a likewise conditioned stimulus

Principle of repetition

learning is enhanced the more a task or skill to be learned is repeated

Principle of association

learn by linking new information with older information known by the organism

Stimulus Generalization

organism responds in the same way to stimuli of similar characteristics

Stimulus discrimination

when an organism behaves differently to stimuli that are similar but not exactly alike

Operant Conditioning Theory - Burrhus Frederic Skinner

organisms learn through being rewarded and punished for their behavior; behavior that is reinforced tends to be strengthened, while that is not reinforced tends to weaken

Habit Formation/Chain Learning Theory - Pavlov and Skinner

habits are defined as connected sequences of SR chains and is used to refer to observable actions that are performed in an almost automatic fashion

repetition

rewarded practice makes perfect

amount of reward

the more satisfying the learning task, the more likely that it will be learned

time between reinforcement and reward

communicator must reinforce their audience’s response as soon as possible so they associate the reinforcement with the desired response

isolation of the SR relationship

desired SR relationship must be isolated from competing SR relationships

cost of reward

communicator will succeed better in inducing or enhancing learning by reducing the effort needed for the receiver to do the desired response

Drive Reduction Theory - Clark L. Hull

organisms learn more easily if the behavior helps to reduce or to satisfy their drives

Contiguity Theory - Edwin Ray Guthrie

one can learn a skill in one trial as long as the response is performed immediately after the stimulus is presented; The principle of Postremity suggests we learn the last thing done in a situation.

Cognitive/Perception Theories

Field Theories/SOR Theories

that it is how the person perceives the stimulus, not the stimulus as it is, that determines his/her response

Gestalt Theory - Wolfgang Kohler, Max Wertheimer, Kurt Koffka

mind organizes objects into groups and that the "whole is more than the sum of parts

Similarity - W

group “stimuli with similar characteristics”; learning is the need to group similar ideas together

Proximity - W

group stimuli that are close together in time or space; learning is the need to carefully organize messages

Common Movement - W

to group stimuli that are moving in the same direction; in learning is to have a set of objectives or a definite goal to ensure that ideas go together

Closure - St

tendency “to fill in gaps” and complete a perceived incomplete stimulus; learning is to make sure information is complete to avoid misinterpretation

Good continuity - St

to perceive another whole out of stimuli that are strung so close together; learning is the need to consider the individual elements of a message which consist the generalization

Figure-ground - Se

focus one’s perception on only one aspect of a mass of stimuli, with the rest of the mass becoming a ‘background’; the need to inform learners of what to focus on when given a particular task

Contrast - Se

put apart stimuli with contrasting qualities; learning is the need to provide both sides of a concept/message

Life Space Theory - Kurt Lewin

learning takes place when changes in the life space take place; need to look into the learners’ goals, needs, wishes, motivations, understanding, and the aspects that affect them in planning for communication-learning situations

Cognitive Map Theory - Edward Tolman

learner forms “a pattern of relationships among signs and between signs and goals” thus forming his/her own cognitive map

Mental Set

a learner’s expectations in the learning situation as shaped by her prior experiences, prior instruction by a facilitator or teacher, attitudes, needs, and social norms

Learning by Problem Solving

a creative process wherein an individual actively seeks ways of dealing with a difficulty and in the process, arrives at new insights

Cybernetic Learning - Hill

views the individual as a system that regulates its functions and consequently adapts to his/her environment based on the feedback that s/he receives from such environment

Experiential Learning Cycle (David Kolb)

Learning is achieved through a four-stage cycle:

1. Concrete experience

2. Reflective observation

3. Abstract conceptualization

4. Active experimentation

Situated Cognition (John Seely Brown, Allan Collins, and Paul Duguid)

that knowledge is inseparable from the activity, culture, or context in which it is acquired

Pedagogy of Relation (Alexander Sidorkin)

It prioritizes the quality of interactions between student- student and teacher-student

Pedagogy of the Oppressed (Paulo Freire)

the transformative power of education when it is situated within a specific social context to empower the learner