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During the past decade, there has been a shift in the field of educational psychology from a behavioral view to a humanistic orientation (Hannum, 1983). These are two somewhat disparate models. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of each paradigm with a focus on societal influences, origins, view of man, methods, teacher-learner role, and evaluation techniques. An analysis of strengths, weaknesses, and implications for the teaching of nursing will then be explored.
Behavioral theory has its roots in Skinner's article which appeared in the Harvard Educational Review in the 1950s. This prompted the widespread application of operant conditioning to education (Evans & Le Vine, 1982). Behavioralism arose in society in response to an age of technological orientation. The focus is on the objectively identifiable, observable aspects of man, while the subjective unobservable is disregarded. Behaviorism extends the product, input-output perspective of technology to man himself (Carter, 1978). Concepts of reinforcement of learning, generalization, discrimination, stimulus control and transfer of training are all tied to the behavioral view. To behaviorists, the learner is a malleable organism, responding to environmental influences (Bigge, 1971).
Humanistic theory evolved in education in the 1970s, and draws upon the works of humanistic and perceptual psychologists such as Carl Rogers, Abraham Maslow and Arthur Combs (Evans & Le Vine, 1982). This theory arose from the human potential movement - a kind of "backlash" against the impersonal, product oriented, technological aspects of society.
Humanistic education can be defined as a commitment to practice, in which all aspects of the teaching-learning process emphasize freedom, choice, value, dignity, and integrity of each individual (Clute, 1978). Proponents of this theory recognize the learner as an active participant in the learning process - efforts are toward the development of a fully functioning self and self-actualization (King & Gerwig, 1981).
In contrast, behaviorists see man as lacking free will. He merely acts in response to internal or environmental influences. Education (or adopting new behaviors) is achieved through respondent or operant conditioning. In the behavioral mode, teachers expedite learning by arranging contingencies of reinforcement. Educational behaviorism is built upon the premise that optimal teaching involves systematic growth of discrete skills. Programmed learning, behavior modification, task analysis and behavioral objectives are all outgrowths of this view...