5 Branches of Learning Flashcards
5 Branches of Educational Psych
Constructivist Developmental Behavioral Cognitive Social Cognitive
Behaviorism
the theoretical perspective in which learning and behavior are described and explained in terms of stimulus-response relationships.
Behaviorism Key Assumptions
The environment influences behavior. Behaviorists believe that people’s behaviors are a result of their interaction with the environment. Specifically, people become conditioned, or molded, to respond in certain ways based on responses like feedback, praise and rewards.
Learning is described through stimuli and responses. Behaviorists focus on observable events rather than events that occur inside a person’s head, such as thoughts, feelings and beliefs.
Learning must involve a behavioral change. Theorists believe that learning has not occurred unless there is an observable change in behavior.
Learning must result when stimulus and response occur close together in time. Learners must associate their response with a stimulus. In order for that to occur, the two must happen in conjunction with each other, or, in other words, be contiguous.
Animals and humans learn in similar ways. Behaviorists, unlike many other theorists, performed their experiments using animals because they believed the study of animals could explain human learning behavior.
Cognitive Psych
the theoretical perspective that focuses on learning based on how people perceive, remember, think, speak and problem-solve.
Cognitive Psych Key Assumptions
first, cognitive psychology acknowledges the existence of internal mental states disregarded by behaviorists. Examples of these states are belief, desire, ideas and motivation (non-observable states).
Second, cognitive psychologists claim memory structures determine how information is perceived, processed, stored, retrieved and forgotten.
Cognitive psychology encompasses perception, categorization, memory, knowledge representation, language and thinking processes.
Developmental Psych
the perspective that studies change that occurs in learners over the course of a long period of time. The developmental perspective encompasses theories that are continuous and discontinuous in nature
Developmental Psych Key Assumptions
discontinuous theories are stage-like. The processes of learning and development involve distinct stages, which are characterized by qualitative differences in behavior. Theorists who posit discontinuous theories propose a specific beginning and end period for each stage.
Continuous theories, in contrast, explain that learning and development occur in incremental processes. Learning involves gradual and ongoing changes throughout the lifespan
Social Cognitive Psych
the perspective in which learning by observing others is the focus of study
Social Cognitive Psych Key Assumptions
Learning occurs through observation. Social cognitivists believe learning can occur by simply observing the behaviors of others.
Learning is an internal process, which may or may not lead to a behavioral change. Specifically, theorists conclude that learning may occur without the behavior being displayed immediately or even ever.
Behavior is directed toward a particular goal. Social cognitivists believe learners set goals and direct their behaviors toward meeting those goals.
Behavior eventually becomes self-regulated.
Observing punishment and rewards can indirectly impact the behavior of the observer
Constructivist Perspective
proposes the idea that the learner constructs, rather than absorbs, knowledge from his or her experiences
Constructivist Perspective Key Assumptions
The learner is self-directed, creative and innovative.
The learner is encouraged to learn truths about the environment and the world by arriving at conclusions based on his or her background, culture or worldview.
The responsibility of learning falls primarily on the learner, while the teacher’s role is that of a facilitator.
Collaborative learning is also a key component of this perspective.
