How Children Learn & Motivation • Topic 1 of 6

Behaviourism, Cognitivism & Constructivism

Three families of theory explain how learning happens, and CTET tests the difference constantly. Behaviourism says learning is a change in observable behaviour produced by conditioning the mind treated as a 'black box'. Pavlov demonstrated classical conditioning: a neutral stimulus (a bell) paired repeatedly with food eventually triggers salivation on its own, so a reflex response is learned. Skinner described operant conditioning: behaviour is shaped by its consequences — reinforcement (anything that increases a behaviour, whether positive by adding something pleasant or negative by removing something unpleasant) strengthens it, while punishment weakens it. Thorndike gave the laws of learning: the Law of Effect (responses followed by satisfaction are repeated), the Law of Exercise (practice strengthens connections) and the Law of Readiness (one learns best when ready). Cognitivism shifts the focus inside the head, to attention, memory, perception and insight — learning is information processing, not just stimulus-response. Constructivism goes furthest: the learner is not filled with knowledge but actively constructs it by linking new experience to what they already know (Piaget's individual construction, Vygotsky's social construction).

✅ Solved examples

1. A teacher rings a bell just before lunch every day, and soon children start feeling hungry the moment the bell rings. This is an example of:
Classical conditioning (Pavlov) — a neutral stimulus (bell), paired with food, comes to trigger the response on its own.
2. A student who is praised every time he submits neat homework starts submitting neat homework regularly. The principle at work is:
Operant conditioning (Skinner) — behaviour is strengthened by a reinforcing consequence (praise). This is positive reinforcement.
3. Thorndike's Law of Effect states that:
Responses that are followed by a satisfying outcome are more likely to be repeated, while those followed by discomfort are less likely to recur.
4. A teacher who believes children build their own understanding by connecting new ideas to prior knowledge, rather than absorbing facts passively, is following which view of learning?
Constructivism — the learner is an active maker of meaning (associated with Piaget, Vygotsky and Bruner), not a passive receiver.

✏️ Practice — try these, take hints as needed

1. Removing an unpleasant condition (e.g. stopping extra drills) when a student behaves well, in order to increase that behaviour, is called:
It is still reinforcement, not punishment.
Something unpleasant is taken away.
Negative reinforcement
2. Pavlov is associated with which type of conditioning?
Dog, bell and food.
A reflex response is learned.
Classical conditioning
3. The principle that we learn best when we are physically and mentally prepared for the task is Thorndike's:
One of his three laws.
About being prepared.
Law of Readiness
4. The view that learning is essentially inner mental processing — attention, memory and insight — rather than visible stimulus-response, is called:
Focus moves inside the head.
Not behaviourism, not (only) construction.
Cognitivism
5. A reward given to a student to increase a desired behaviour is technically a:
It strengthens a behaviour.
Skinner's term.
Reinforcer / reinforcement

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