Pick a Side: Behaviorist of Cognitivist

Prior to engaging in this discussion, be sure to review Chapters 3 and 4 from your text and any relevant Instructor Guidance. This guidance can be very helpful as it may include strategies that support your preferred learning.

For this discussion, please choose one of the two options: behaviorism or cognitivism.

Taking on the role of either a behaviorist or a cognitivist, you will demonstrate your understanding of your chosen psychological view by explaining why your theory and its history are important for others to understand and apply.

Based on your own experiences, the resources listed above, and the scholarly article from the Ashford University Library you locate, analyze how learning and theory apply in real-life situations by listing the pros and cons of each.

Provide evidence for your stance from your resources.

Please describe two real-life scenarios you have experienced and explain how you applied these psychological principles to the personal, social, or educational issues you mention.

Please do not share anything that you would be uncomfortable discussing in a public forum.

Based on the camp you chose, continue to answer the following:

Additional behaviorist questions to consider:

Do you agree with the behaviorist view that learning can be described simply in terms of stimulus-response relationships?

Do you agree with the behaviorist view that learning only occurs if there is an outward manifestation? Why, or why not?

What are the potential advantages of defining learning as a change in behavior when considering your own career (or future career) and/or in your relationships?

Additional cognitivist questions to consider:

Do you agree with the cognitivist view that thinking is not a behavior but actually creates important implications affecting behavior

Why do cognitivists disagree with the behaviorist view that learning only occurs if there is an outward manifestation? What are the implications to the behavior(s) it identifies?

Cognitivism suggests that what we know to be true affects our behaviors and how we learn, What implications might this have in your own career (or future career) and/or in your relationships?