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Development of Learner and Teaching Learning Process

Notes 3. Behaviourism
In the beginning of 20 centaury behaviorism was founded due to the criticism of structuralism and
th
functionalism. Before this the emphasis was on the study of the element of consciousness. But a few
psychologists considered it useless and said that the study that tells us about the effect of consciousness on
our body is useful. Therefore the work of consciousness was more emphasized instead of its construction.
But after sometime the technique inter philosophical method that studied consciousness was badly criticized.
William James was the main critique among on the critique. Father of behaviorism was J. B. Watson.
The object of behaviorism is to study behavior. Watson did not accept consciousness by considering
it unclear. According to him to understand a living thing, it is important to observe and understand
works of his body. Examination of entire personality of human happens through behavior and activity.
Thus only study of consciousness is not useful but instead of emotions, feeling, talent, and memories.
Attention should be paid towards his efforts and behavior that is tangible. These efforts and behavior
are both natural and acquired that are studied by the psychologists. School of behaviorism is a group
of those psychologists who study both natural and acquired behavior of a living that is tangible. Max
Mayor, P. Bis, Hull and Tallman and B. F. Skinner are among the main behaviorists.
In the year of 1912–14 when the movement of behaviourism was going on in America the Pscyhologists

Weshref and Pavlov (1857–1936) were experimenting on associated reflex action, conditioned refl ex
action and motor reflexes. They experimented both on human and animal.

According to the view of Behaviorism a living thing responses due to the incitement present in the
atmosphere. This discourse thought over the action of the living thing and studied the actions of muscles
and glands. In this the” Theory of Stinulu-Response” has been given an important place, resulted human
behaves in order to cope up or become friendly with circumstances and atmosphere.

In the origin of behaviourism Sir Thorndike’s contribution in the field of animal psychology is

worthwhile. He did many experiments on fish, cats and hen. These experiments proved that because of
lack of wisdom they learn many things through trial and error. An animal attains success to complete
the work by trying again and again. These experiments are fully described in the chapter learning.
Contribution of Behaviourism in Education—
(1) Experiments done by behavioristic psychologists on animals demonstrated the rules and
theories of learning. Method of trial and error was implemented in learning.
(2) Study of child psychology got encouragement.
(3) Effect of atmosphere was emphasized in the development and improvement of humen.
(4) Psychologists belong to the school of behaviourism enlightened methods of learning, rules and
theories of learning, sensational behavior and habits related to root instinct that causes the progress
of educational psychology.
(5) Education is related to human behaviour. Behaviour has both personal and social aspects. This sect
believes that the entire human behavior is fulfi lled because of a continuous interaction of human
behavior with atmosphere.
(6) “Pre decided learning” developed as an educative method.
(7) This school emphasized on inspection and measurement.
(8) Behaviourists made the study of child personality easy and objective. After studying child’s behavior in
different circumstances and atmosphere, they introduced many useful methods to evaluate personality.
(9) Theory of Stinilu –Response resulted the emphasis on sense teaching in child education system.
4. Psychoanalysis
Sigmund Freud (1856–1939) of Vienna was one of the main founders of Psychoanalysis. This school
mainly studies the trials of unknown mind. Dr. Freud used the method Hypnotism to cure the

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