Behaviorism and B.F. Skinner

Illustration created by ChatGPT.

Behaviorism, as championed by B.F. Skinner, centers on observable behaviors and their environmental antecedents and consequences. Skinner posited that learning can be understood and predicted entirely through these observable events. Antecedents serve as cues for behavior, while consequences determine whether a behavior is repeated, thus reinforcing learning. For instance, a teacher’s smile can reinforce a learner’s behavior, encouraging its repetition (Reiser et al., 2021).

As illustrated in the image above, behaviorism focuses on external influences on behavior, with reinforcement playing a key role in shaping and sustaining desired actions. This theory introduced concepts such as behavioral objectives, practice, and feedback into instructional design, laying the foundation for individualized and technology-driven learning systems. Tools like online training programs often incorporate these principles, enabling learners to progress at their own pace.

Furthermore, advancements in behavioral theory, such as John Staddon’s work, highlight how learners' unique reinforcement histories influence their future learning experiences, further refining the application of behaviorism in instructional design (Reiser et al., 2021). The empirically driven nature of behaviorism has had a lasting impact on instructional design, particularly in formative evaluation, which observes and adjusts instructional methods based on measurable changes in learner performance. Skinner’s radical behaviorism continues to influence how we design, implement, and assess instruction to this day (Reiser et al., 2021).