Developed by W. Huitt & J. Hummel (1999)

Educational Psychology
Define and contrast the three types of

behavioral learning theories
(contiguity/touching/in contact,classical
conditioning(smethng depends), and
operant(work/control) conditioning),
giving examples of how each can be used in
the classroom.
Developed by W. Huitt & J. Hummel (1999)

Behavioral Learning Theory
According to the behaviorists, learning can

be defined as “the relatively permanent
change in behavior brought about as a
result of experience or practice.”
Behaviorists recognize that learning is an

internal event. However, it is not
recognized as learning until it is displayed
by overt(done openly/unconcealed)
behavior.
• The term "learning theory" is often

associated with the behavioral view.
• The focus of the behavioral approach is on
how the environment impacts overt
behavior.
• Remember that biological maturation or

genetics is an alternative explanation for
relatively permanent change.
The behavioral learning theory is

represented as an S-R paradigm. The
organism is treated as a “black box.” We
only know what is going on inside the box
by the organism’s overt behavior.
Stimulus Organism Response

(S) (O) (R)
The feedback loop that connects overt

behavior to stimuli that activate the senses
has been studied extensively from this
perspective.
Notice that the behaviorists are only

interested in that aspect of feedback that
connects directly to overt behavior.
Behaviorists are not interested in the

conscious decision of the individual to
disrupt, modify, or go against the
conditioning process.
There are three types of behavioral

learning theories:
• Contiguity theory
• Classical or respondent conditioning
theory
• Operant or instrumental conditioning
theory
Contiguity Theory
Contiguity theory is based on the work of

E. R. Guthrie.
It proposes that any stimulus and

response connected in time and/or space
will tend to be associated.
Contiguity Theory
Examples:
• A baseball player wearing a certain pair

of socks on the day he hits three home
runs associates wearing the socks and
hitting home runs.
• A student making a good grade on a
test after trying a new study technique
makes an association between the
stimulus of studying and the response of
getting a good grade.
Contiguity Theory
Guthrie’s contiguity theory is one

foundation for the more cognitively-
oriented learning theory of neural
networks.
LEARNING
»Any relatively permanent
change in behavior that
occurs as a result of
experience.
Learning Theories
• 1. Classical Conditioning Theory
• 2. Operant conditioning theory
• Social Learning Theory
Classical Conditioning Theory
Classical conditioning was the first type of

learning to be discovered and studied within
the behaviorist tradition (hence the name
classical).
The major theorist in the development of
classical conditioning is Ivan Pavlov, a
Russian scientist trained in biology and
medicine (as was his German contemporary,
Sigmund Freud).
Pavlov was studying the digestive system of dogs
and became intrigued with his observation that
dogs deprived of food began to salivate when one of
his assistants walked into the room.
He began to investigate this phenomena and
established the laws of classical conditioning.
Skinner renamed this type of learning

"respondent conditioning” since in this type of
learning, one is responding to an environmental
antecedent.
The specific model for classical conditioning

is:
• A stimulus will naturally (without learning)

elicit or bring about a reflexive response
• Unconditioned Stimulus (US) elicits >
Unconditioned Response (UR)
The specific model for classical conditioning

is:
• Neutral Stimulus (NS) --- does not elicit
the response of interest
• This stimulus (sometimes called an
orienting stimulus as it elicits an
orienting response) is a neutral stimulus
since it does not elicit the Unconditioned
(or reflexive) Response.
The Neutral/Orientiing Stimulus (NS) is

repeatedly paired with the
Unconditioned/Natural Stimulus (US).
• The Neutral Stimulus (NS) is transformed

into a Conditioned Stimulus (CS).
• That is, when the CS is presented by itself, it
elicits or causes the CR (which is the same
involuntary response as the UR.
• The name changes because it is elicited

by a different stimulus.
• This is written CS elicits > CR.

• In the area of classroom learning, classical

conditioning is seen primarily in the
conditioning of emotional behavior.
• Things that make us happy, sad, angry,

etc. become associated with neutral
stimuli that gain our attention.
• For example, the school, classroom, teacher,

or subject matter are initially neutral stimuli
that gain attention.
• Activities at school or in the classroom
automatically elicit emotional responses
and these activities are associated with
the neutral or orienting stimulus
• After repeated presentations, the
previously neutral stimulus will elicit the
emotional response
Example:
• Child is harassed at school

• Child feels bad when harassed
• Child associates being harassed
and school
• Child begins to feel bad when she
thinks of school
In order to extinguish the associated of

feeling bad and thinking of school, the
connection between school and being
harassed must be broken.
Operant Conditioning Theory
• Operant conditioning is the study of the

impact of consequences on behavior.
• With operant conditioning we are dealing

with voluntary behaviors.
•A type of conditioning in which desired
voluntary behavior leads to a reward or
prevents the punishment.
Social Learning Theory
• People can learn through observation and
direct experience.
• What we have learned comes from
watching models:
• Parents, teachers, peers, television
performers, Bosses etc.

Developed by W. Huitt & J. Hummel (1999)

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Educational Psychology

Define and contrast the three types of

Developed by W. Huitt & J. Hummel (1999)

According to the behaviorists, learning can

Behaviorists recognize that learning is an

• The term "learning theory" is often

• Remember that biological maturation or

The behavioral learning theory is

Stimulus Organism Response

The feedback loop that connects overt

Notice that the behaviorists are only

Behaviorists are not interested in the

There are three types of behavioral

Contiguity theory is based on the work of

It proposes that any stimulus and

• A baseball player wearing a certain pair

Guthrie’s contiguity theory is one

Classical conditioning was the first type of

Skinner renamed this type of learning

The specific model for classical conditioning

• A stimulus will naturally (without learning)

The specific model for classical conditioning

The Neutral/Orientiing Stimulus (NS) is

• The Neutral Stimulus (NS) is transformed

• The name changes because it is elicited

• This is written CS elicits > CR.

• In the area of classroom learning, classical

• Things that make us happy, sad, angry,

• For example, the school, classroom, teacher,

• Child is harassed at school

In order to extinguish the associated of

• Operant conditioning is the study of the

• With operant conditioning we are dealing

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