Operant Conditioning - How Do We Teach Our Children?

Part 1

1. Classical conditioning is a learning process in which an innate response to a potent stimulus comes to be elicited in response to a previously neutral stimulus; this is achieved by repeated pairings of the neutral stimulus with the potent stimulus Classical Conditioning was founded by Ivan Pavlov in the early 20th century. An example of Classical Conditioning is when a dog is fed after a bell is rung. The bell will ring initially and the dog will not understand until he receives his food. The dog then pairs the ringing of the bell with him being fed so he will start to salivate.

Operant conditioning is a method of learning that occurs through rewards and punishments for behavior. Through operant conditioning, an association is made between a behavior and a consequence for that behavior. Operant Conditioning was founded by B.F. Skinner in the late 1930’s. An example of Operant Conditioning is when an employee completes a project correctly and on time, he will get a salary bonus, or a reward for what he has done.

Social learning theory states that learning is a cognitive process that takes place in a social context and can occur purely through observation or direct instruction, even in the absence of motor reproduction or direct reinforcement. The Social Learning Theory was developed in the 1960s/1970s by Albert Bandura. An example of Social learning theory is students watching a video about a topic to learn in a classroom

2. You can teach a child to not touch a stove using classical conditioning by telling the child the stove is hot. Then