As one of the most historically influential schools of thought, behaviorism aimed to establish psychology as an objective science. This approach centered on studying overt, observable behavior while deliberately deemphasizing the significance of unobservable internal mental processes.

Behaviorism

B. F. Skinner's theory of operant conditioning, which expands on Edward Thorndike's law of effect, posits that voluntary behaviors are learned through their consequences. Skinner's research, often involving rats and pigeons in operant conditioning chambers, focused on how reinforcement and punishment alter the probability of a behavior's recurrence. Beyond his laboratory work, Skinner was a strong advocate for applying operant conditioning principles in educational settings to shape students' behavior and improve learning outcomes.

Skinner's Operant Conditioning

Proposed by Albert Bandura and other researchers, social learning theory is a perspective on learning that incorporates cognitive processes. It evolved from behaviorism but differed by asserting that internal mental states play a crucial role in learning. Unlike pure behaviorism, this theory can explain how learning occurs even without direct external reinforcement, emphasizing the importance of observation and mental processing.

Social Learning Theory

- Watson's Behaviorism
- Skinner's Operant Conditioning
- Social Learning Theory

Haverford College in Pennsylvania

Learning theories in social development focus on the impact external factors have in influencing social development. Researchers emphasize the importance of reinforcement and the active role children play in shaping their own social development.

Learning Theories in Social Development

Siegler, R., Saffran, J. R., Eisenberg, N., Deloache, J., &amp; Gershoff, E. (2017). How Children Develop (5th ed.). Worth Publishers, Inc.

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