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Ivan Pavlov born in Rayazan, Russia
Pavlov was best known for his study on response stimulus. In his study of dogs and their digestion, Pavlov was able to develop Classical Conditioning in 1927. Pavov believed that any stimulus can be conditioned to any response. Pavlov studied the salivation glands of dogs. In the presentation of food, the dogs would begin to salivate and Pavlov included the sound of a bell. After some time, dogs salivated at the sound of the bell without the presence of food. -
Edward Thorndike born in Winsburg, Massachusetts
Thorndike developed Connectionism from his Stimulus-Response Theory. He believed that all learning could be measured. Thorndike developed intelligence tests, math and reading tests and college entreance tests. Thorndike believed in multiple intelligences and that positive reinforcement enhances learning. Children need motivation whether it be self-motivation or rewards for learning to occure. -
John Watson born in Travelers Rest, South Carolina
Watson founded the belief that development is observable behavior that can be learned through experience with the environment. Watson fomulated the Little Albert Experiment. He placed a white rat in front of a child, Albert. Unaffected by the rat, Watson introduced a oud sound behind the child. Albert was frightened. After numerous trials with the rat and the loud sound, the childed was conditioned to fear things having the same characteristics of the rat. Watson created Fear Conditioning. -
Clark Hull born in Akron, New York
Hull believed that human behavior is a result of the constant interaction between the organism and its environment. He spent the most part of his work on the study of hypnosis and suggestion. Hull's learning theory focuses mainly on the principle of reinforcement. Hull formulated the Drive Theory. Behaviors were influenced by goals that sought to satisfy primary drives—such as hunger, thirst, sex, and the avoidance of pain. -
Edward Tolman born in Newton, Massachusetts
Tolman is best known for his Rat Experiment, performed to study the role of reinforcement. The rat experiment led to latent learning. Laten Learning is learning that occurs from environmental interactions (observational learning) in the absence of an obvious reward, goal or reinforcement. Tolman found that reinforcement was not necessary for learning to occur after the rats in his experiment that did not receive a goal or reward learned much more than exhibited. -
B.F. Skinner born in Susquehanna Depot, Pennsylvania
Skinner invented Operant Conditioning. Operant Conditioning is a process of behavior modification in which the liklihood of a specific behavior is increased or decreased through positive or negative reinforcement each time the behavior is exhibited. Skinner used rats and reinforcers to cause a stimulus to response. Skinner conditioned rats to perform differen tasks in order to receive their rewards. He found that through reinforcement, rewarding with food, behavior can be shaped. -
Abraham Maslow born in New York, New York
Abraham Maslov developed the Hierachy of Needs Theory and was the founder of Humanistic Psychology. Humanistic Psychology focused on each individual's potential and stressed the importance of growth and self-actualization. In hiis Hieracrchy of Needs, Maslov developed a pyramid of needs that need be met for self-acutalization to be achieved. In eduation, in order for learners to adequately succed they must have their needs met and self-actualization can occur. -
Jerome Bruner born in New York, New York
Bruner emphasised the social nature of learning, stating that other people should help a child develop skills through the process of scaffolding. His theories centered on the idea that children learn through the act of discovery. When a need to know is established the student will want to discover the concept themselves. -
Albert Bandura born in Alberta, Canada
Social Cognitive Theorist
Bandura was best known for his "bobo Doll Experiment". Bandura set up an experiment of children watching adults behaving aggressively toward a bobo doll. When children are caused to be aggressive, they mimic the behavioirs of the adults on the bobo doll just as the adults did. Bandura's experiment showed that children learned aggressive behaviors from the adults admired around them. He called this Observed Learning. -
Howard Gardner born in Scranton, Pennsylvania
Gardner developed the Theory of Multipe Intelligences. He believed that people have nine different kinds of intelligence that reflect different ways of interacting with the world and that each person has a unique combination. The intelligences have their own strengths and constraints. The Multiple Intelligences Theory allows educators to understand the possible learners in their classroom and plan learning accordingly to foster addequate learning.
