Introduction to Principles of Learning: Theories and Applications

This report delves into the principles of learning, focusing on behaviorism and social cognitive theory and their relevance to the disability field. It begins with an introduction emphasizing the growing importance of disability studies and the significance of these two theories in guiding professionals. The report then provides a detailed description of behaviorism, including its key concepts, such as stimulus-response, reinforcement, and punishment, along with the methodological and radical behaviorism approaches. It explores how behaviorism helps professionals assess and manage the behaviors of individuals with disabilities. The report also explains social cognitive theory, discussing observational learning, reinforcement, self-control, and self-efficacy. It highlights how this theory enhances professionals' skills in understanding and managing diverse behaviors in the disability field. The conclusion summarizes the importance of both theories in improving the skills of professionals working with individuals with disabilities, emphasizing their role in understanding human behavior and promoting effective interventions.

Running head: INTRODUCTION TO PRINCIPLES OF LEARNING
Introduction to Principles of Learning
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1INTRODUCTION TO PRINCIPLES OF LEARNING
Table of Contents
Introduction:...............................................................................................................................3
Description of the Behaviourism theory:...................................................................................3
Impact of the theory on the working professionals of the disability field:................................5
Description of the Social Cognitive Theory:.............................................................................5
Impact of the theory on the working professionals of the disability field:................................7
Conclusion:................................................................................................................................7
References:.................................................................................................................................9

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Introduction:
The importance of the disability study has increased in a significant manner in the
modern world and that is pretty evident with increased number of practitioners taking part in
these sort of studies. Considering the business context, it is understandable that the concept of
the disability management or the study of disability, is gaining greater significance and that is
evident with the increased exposure that people with disability are getting, in the labour and
employment markets. The modern society is significantly open minded towards accepting the
disability and that is evident with the increased number of job offerings for the people with
disability. Having said that, the disability management or the study of disability is seen to be
largely dependent on two different theories named as behaviourism theory and the social
cognitive theory. Both the mentioned theories provide significant learning for the
professional working on the disability field for the effective improvement of their activities.
The paper provides an important description regarding the key points of the behaviourism
theory and social cognitive theory and along with the description, the paper provides
important learning for the professionals working in the field of disability for the improving
their operational activities.
Description of the Behaviourism theory:
Behaviourism theory is recognized as one of the systematic approach that the
practitioners apply for the effective understanding of the behaviour of the humans and
animals. With a precise understanding of the theory, it is understandable that the human
behaviours are expected to be considered as the reflexes that are developed as the responses
to certain stimuli in the environments or they are expected to be recognized as consequences
that are based on the previous history of the individuals. Along with this, Thurlings et al.
(2013), claimed that the behaviours of the individuals can be considered as the results of both

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reinforcement and punishment along with the individual’s urge of controlling stimuli and the
current motivational state. Having said that, Crawford (2013), claimed that the heredity or the
biological inheritance has greater significance for the behaviourism practitioners in the
effective understanding of the behaviour. At the same time, the practitioners of the mentioned
study are observed to have strong emphasis on the environmental factors for the
understanding of the variation in the behaviour of the individuals. The combined significance
of theories such as the psychological theory, methodology and philosophy is pretty prominent
in the study of behaviourism. Along with that, Dietrich and List (2016), clarified that the
mentioned theory asks for the scientific and objective methods for the investigation and that
signifies the physiological approach of the practitioners.
The study of Behaviourism is largely focused on the observable actions or the
responses of the individuals and the theory precisely discusses regarding the behaviours that
are gained through the interaction with the environment. Alvesson and Sköldberg (2017),
clearly stated that the behaviourism is a theory that is more concerned regarding the external
factors such as the human interaction rather than the internal factors such as the thinking.
Ruiz (2015), presented the diversification of the behaviourism in a significant manner with
precise elaboration reading the Methodological Behaviourism and Radical Behaviourism.
Considering the Methodological Behaviourism, Alvesson and Sköldberg (2017), claimed that
the main theoretical goal is to predict and control the behaviour. Considering the differences
between both the forms of the behaviourism, it is evident that the Methodological
behaviourism considers the mind is a tabula rasa or a blank state at birth and recognizes that
to be an important environmental factor for influencing the behaviour of the individuals. On
the other hand, Radical Behaviourism has the tendency to accept the fact that the organisms
are developed with innate behaviours and under such situation, the biological inheritance is

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expected to be considered as an important component for understanding the spectrum of
behaviour (Ruiz, 2015).
Impact of the theory on the working professionals of the disability field:
With a precise focus on the Behaviourism theory, it is understandable that the study of
the mentioned theory is largely focused on the external behaviours of the individuals.
Considering the above mentioned fact, the working professionals of disability field will be
able to assess the activities of the disabled individuals in an efficient manner. In majority of
the cases, certain activities of the disabled individuals are observed to be unique in nature and
at the same time, if the respective working professionals are unable to understand the basis of
those activities, then it becomes extremely difficult for the professionals to intervene. Having
said that, the theory of behaviourism enables the working professionals to gain the required
knowledge regarding the basis of those behaviours as it either be based on their reaction to
certain situations or it is the consequences of the history of that particular individual. From
the Methodological Behaviourism, the working professionals will gain the much required
idea regarding the management of the diverse ad unique behaviours of the individuals with
efficient restructuring in the environment. On the other hand, the Radical Behaviourism
precisely educates the working professionals regarding the impact of the biological
inheritance of the individuals so that the unique or diverse actions of the disabled individuals
are effectively managed with implementation of the activities that reflect a precise
consideration towards the biological inheritance.
Description of the Social Cognitive Theory:
The concept of the social cognitive theory is pretty significant for the effective
understanding of the diverse behaviours and the basis behind the diverse actions of the
individuals. With a precise focus on the concept, it is understandable that the theory states

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that the individuals have the tendency of observing a model performing a behaviour along
with the results of the behaviour. With a precise understanding of the behaviour and the
consequences of the behaviour, the individuals have the general tendency of remembering the
sequence of events which they use as the guide for the subsequent behaviours. According to
Bandura (2014), people do not have the tendency of learning new behaviours or the
techniques through trying them or by gaining success or failure in them, rather people are
observed to have the tendency of replicating the actions of others.
Font, Garay and Jones (2016), claimed that the people have the tendency of
replicating the model of a behaviour on the basis of the rewards or the punishment that the
modelled behaviour achieved. Hence, it is understandable that the main foundation of the
cognitive theory is not the learning on the basis of the experience of the individuals rather it
is the learning from the replication of the actions of other individuals which are regarded as
success or failure. Along with this, Ng and Lucianetti (2016), claimed that the human
behaviour is dependent on a dynamic framework which includes three main factors such as
the personal factors, environmental influences and the behaviour. Tsai (2014), stated that the
key constructs of the mentioned theory are observed to be the observational learning,
reinforcement, self- control and self -efficacy. Considering the behavioural capability of the
mentioned theory, the behaviour of the individuals is recognized as the application of the
essential knowledge and skills of the individuals. Along with this, Tsai (2014) claimed that
the successful conduct of the behaviours of the individuals are observed to be based on the
idea of the individuals regarding what they should do and how. Under such situation, the past
experiences of the consequences of those behaviours are significant for the success of the
individuals. Considering the observational learning, Basen-Engquist et al. (2013), claimed
that the individuals witness or observe the behaviours conducted by the others to reproduce
them in their own life. With a precise focus on the reinforcement, Font, Garay and Jones

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(2016), claimed that the behaviour of the individuals are precise reflection of the
understanding of the impact of the internal or external factors that affects the likelihood of the
discontinuation or continuation of the behaviours. Other than this, the concept of the self –
efficacy portrays the level of confidence that the individuals have for the effective
management of the conduct of their behaviours.
Impact of the theory on the working professionals of the disability field:
With precise understanding of the theory, it is evident that the working professionals
will be able to improve their skills in gaining the required knowledge for managing the
diversity of the behaviours of the disabled individuals. At the same time, it will also increase
the skills of the working professionals for observing the variation in the actions of the
disabled individuals and acting in accordance to the previous experiences for managing their
operational activities. Considering the reinforcement, the professionals will gather the
knowledge regarding the impact of the internal and external factors that affect the likelihood
of the bad behaviours of the disabled individuals. With precise understanding of the theory
and the required knowledge regarding the management of the disabled individuals at each
components of the social cognitive theory, the professionals will be able to acquire the much
required self- confidence and the belief for managing the disabled individuals.
Conclusion:
On an ending note, it is understandable that both the theories, social cognitive theory
and the behaviourism theory have great significance amongst the working professionals for
understanding the nature of the human behaviour of the disabled individuals. The learning of
both the theories have the capability to improve the skills of the working professionals
regarding the importance of the situations, biological inheritances and the impact of the
others’ behaviours in understanding the behaviours of the disabled individuals. From the

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above discussion, it is evident that the social cognitive theory has the capability to improve
the learning of the working professionals along with the skills required to handle the
behaviour of the disabled individuals. At the same time the behaviourism theory provides the
idea to the working professionals regarding the basis of the diverse behaviours of the
individuals.

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References:
Alvesson, M., & Sköldberg, K. (2017). Reflexive methodology: New vistas for qualitative
research. Sage.
Bandura, A. (2014). Social cognitive theory of moral thought and action. In Handbook of
moral behavior and development (pp. 69-128). Psychology Press.
Basen-Engquist, K., Carmack, C. L., Li, Y., Brown, J., Jhingran, A., Hughes, D. C., ... &
Bodurka, D. C. (2013). Social-cognitive theory predictors of exercise behavior in
endometrial cancer survivors. Health Psychology, 32(11), 1137.
Crawford, S. (2013). The myth of logical behaviourism and the origins of the identity theory.
Dietrich, F., & List, C. (2016). Mentalism versus behaviourism in economics: a philosophy-
of-science perspective. Economics & Philosophy, 32(2), 249-281.
Font, X., Garay, L., & Jones, S. (2016). A social cognitive theory of sustainability empathy.
Annals of Tourism Research, 58, 65-80.
Ng, T. W., & Lucianetti, L. (2016). Within-individual increases in innovative behavior and
creative, persuasion, and change self-efficacy over time: A social–cognitive theory
perspective. Journal of Applied Psychology, 101(1), 14.
Ruiz, M. R. (2015). Radical behaviourism and critical inquiry. and is Professor of
Management at the University of Leicester, and Managing Editor of Annual Review
of Critical Psychology. He edited the four-volume major work ‘Critical
Psychology’for Routledge in 2011, edits the book series ‘Concepts for Critical
Psychology’, and also authored the ‘Psychology after Critique’series., 33.

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Thurlings, M., Vermeulen, M., Bastiaens, T., & Stijnen, S. (2013). Understanding feedback:
A learning theory perspective. Educational Research Review, 9, 1-15.
Tsai, C. H. (2014). Integrating social capital theory, social cognitive theory, and the
technology acceptance model to explore a behavioral model of telehealth systems.
International journal of environmental research and public health, 11(5), 4905-4925.