Week 3 Learning Theories

Question 1

Biological Theories

Answer 1

-maturation drives development
-genes lead to the whole bodies development

Question 2

Who is the key person in biological theories

Answer 2

Arnold Gesell- development norms, readiness
-observed and documented patterns of development
-many policy choices and some teaching/parenting practices are largely based on an idea that biological age and maturation drives development

Question 3

Behaviorist Theories

Answer 3

environmental inputs drive development

Question 4

John Watson

Answer 4

-classic conditioning
-little albert experiment

Question 5

What did John Watson believe?

Answer 5

-development is gradual and continuous
-children play a largely passive role in development
-children have high plasticity
-no critical stages or critical periods because are all shaped by our environment

Question 6

Classical conditioning

Answer 6

-creating situations that result in learning
-starts with an unconditional stimulus and an unconditioned response

Question 7

Unconditional stimulus Pavlovs dog

Answer 7

dog sees food and starts drooling (natura response)

Question 8

Unconditioned response pavlovs dog

Answer 8

dog has no response to the bell ringing

Question 9

Neutral stimulus pavlov’s dog

Answer 9

the bell ringing

Question 10

conditioned response pavlovs dog

Answer 10

dog drooling when the bell rings

Question 11

Operant conditionng

Answer 11

learning a voluntary behavior through consequences

Question 12

Reinforcer

Answer 12

consequence that increases the probability of a behehavior

Question 13

Positive reinforcer

Answer 13

something added that increases the probability of a behavior
-giving a dog a treat for doing a trick

Question 14

Negative reinforcer

Answer 14

something removed that increased probability of a behavior
-putting on your seatbelt to get rid of a noise

Question 15

Punishment

Answer 15

consequence that reduces the probability of a given behavior

Question 16

Positive Punishment

Answer 16

something added that decreases probability of a behavior

Question 17

Negative punishment

Answer 17

something removed that decreases probability of a behavior

Question 18

Constructivism

Answer 18

knowledge must be constructed by the learning (learning is about how the child reacts to the environment)

Question 19

Who is the guy behind constructivism

Answer 19

jean piaget

Question 20

Four stages of the stage theory

Answer 20

sensorimotor
preoperational
concrete operational
formal operational

Question 21

schema

Answer 21

a cognitive framework or concept that helps organize knowledge

Question 22

assimilation

Answer 22

using existing schemas to understand information

Question 23

Accomodation

Answer 23

change schemas when information can’t fit , reorganizing the knowledge structure

Question 24

Sensorimotor Stage

Answer 24

0-2
-reflexes, circular reactions and goal directed behavior

Question 25

Preoperational stage

Answer 25

2-7
-egocentrisms, symbolic thinking, pretend play, struggle with constancy (playdough)

Question 26

Concrete operational

Answer 26

7-12
-begin to think more logically but still need concrete examples, begin to understand conservation
-seriation: order objects by a certain characteristic
-classification: group objects according to multiple attributes

Question 27

Formal Operational Stage

Answer 27

can be abstract,hypothetical and reflexive thinking (12 and up)
propositional logic: use of inferences based on related statements
scientific reasoning: systemic approach to isolate variables, formulate and test hypothesis
metacognition: thinking about and monitoring your own thinking

Question 28

3 critiques of piaget

Answer 28

1. highly complex; underestimate children’s competence
2. qualitative/discontinuous nature of change - we don’t work that way
3. strict constraints of stages
   -not impossible to accelerate development
   -stage of development limits what children can learn and how they learn