Theory of Human Behavior

THEORY OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR

BEHAVIORISM & SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY

- Includes Cognitive theory, Behavioral theory, and Social Learning theory [Social Behavioral Perspective] by Pavlov, Skinner, Watson, Piaget, Bandura and Beck.

- The focus of this theory is how individuals develop cognitive functioning and learn through acting on their environment. The main concepts are:

*Imitation & reaction to stimulation shape behavioral learning

*Knowledge is constructed through children physically and mentally acting on objects

*Intelligence is an evolutionary, biological adaptation to environment

*Cognitive structures enable adaptation & organization

- Some practice applications are:

*Useful for enabling behavioral & symptomatic change

*Useful for assessing individual cognitive functioning, group & family interactions

- Some practice interventions are:

*Behavioral interventions such as classical or operant conditioning, positive or negative reinforcement

*Time-limited, problem-focused interventions

*Cognitive reframing of automatic thoughts about presenting problems to facilitate change

Cognitive behavioral theories focus on how you think (cognitive) and how you can change that thinking (behavior). Behavioral learning theories are part of behaviorism, which is the study of the behavior of a person or animal reacting to something in the environment. The reaction is termed the "response," and the thing causing the reaction is the "stimulus." Psychologist B.F. Skinner began working on behavioral learning theories in the 1930s, and defined the terms "classical conditioning" and "operant conditioning." Classical conditioning (also called Pavlovian conditioning) is the response of our stimulus to an environmental antecedent and on how we react on certain things. Hence, no new behaviours are learned. On the other hand, operant conditioning can be thought of...