Monday, October 22, 2007

What are the differences between Behaviourism and Constructivism?

Behaviourism
Behavioral psychology, also known as behaviorism, is a theory of learning based upon the idea that all behaviors are acquired through conditioning. Conditioning occurs through interaction with the environment. According to behaviorism, behavior can be studied in a systematic and observable manner with no consideration of internal mental states.[1]


Constructivism
Constructivism is a philosophy of learning founded on the premise that, by reflecting on our experiences, we construct our own understanding of the world we live in. Each of us generates our own "rules" and "mental models," which we use to make sense of our experiences. Learning, therefore, is simply the process of adjusting our mental models to accommodate new experiences.[2]

Differences

Disagree on the importance of memory, while behaviourism does not put much emphasis on the use of memory Constructivism holds it as a key element of the learning process

Disagree on the importance of individual differences, behaviourism does not take into account that everyone learns at different levels and speeds,, it also neglects the idea that we all have different motives, and interests that effect the way we learn.

Disagree on the importance of the role of cognition/thoughts.


Disagree on the importance of the effect of previous experiences


Behaviourists emphasise the Stimulus-Response bond

Footnotes
[1] http://psychology.about.com/od/behavioralpsychology/f/behaviorism.htm dated 08/10/07

[2] http://www.funderstanding.com/constructivism.cfm dated 08/10/07

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