Behaviourism — Study Notes for CG TET

Overview

Behaviourism is one of the most foundational learning theories you will encounter in the Child Development and Pedagogy section of CG TET. It explains learning as a change in observable behaviour caused by external stimuli, without focusing on internal mental processes. For a teacher, understanding behaviourism means knowing how to shape student behaviour through reinforcement, punishment and repetition.

This topic carries direct questions in CG TET — expect 2–4 questions asking you to identify the theorist, distinguish between classical and operant conditioning, or apply these principles to classroom situations. Mastering Pavlov, Thorndike and Skinner is non-negotiable for scoring well in this section.

The core idea is simple: behaviour that is rewarded tends to repeat; behaviour that is punished or ignored tends to disappear. This "stimulus-response" framework forms the backbone of behaviourist pedagogy and remains relevant in everyday classroom management.

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Key Concepts

• **Learning = Change in behaviour**: Behaviourists define learning only through observable, measurable changes — not internal thoughts or feelings.

• **Stimulus-Response (S-R) Bond**: All learning involves forming connections between a stimulus (trigger) and a response (behaviour).

• **Classical Conditioning (Pavlov)**: Learning occurs when a neutral stimulus becomes associated with an unconditioned stimulus, eventually producing a conditioned response automatically.

• **Connectionism (Thorndike)**: Learning is trial-and-error; correct responses are "stamped in" through satisfaction, while incorrect ones are "stamped out."

• **Operant Conditioning (Skinner)**: Behaviour is controlled by its consequences — reinforcement increases behaviour, punishment decreases it.

• **Role of Environment**: Behaviourists believe the environment (not heredity or internal motivation) is the primary driver of learning.

• **Teacher as Controller**: The teacher designs the environment, provides stimuli and manages consequences to shape student behaviour.

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Key Facts — The Three Theorists

### Ivan Pavlov (1849–1936) — Classical Conditioning

| Term | Meaning | |------|---------| | Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS) | Naturally triggers a response (e.g., food) | | Unconditioned Response (UCR) | Natural response to UCS (e.g., salivation) | | Neutral Stimulus (NS) | Initially produces no response (e.g., bell) | | Conditioned Stimulus (CS) | After pairing, triggers learned response (bell after training) | | Conditioned Response (CR) | Learned response to CS (salivation to bell) |