Behaviorist Theory of Second Language Acquisition

Summary

The video discusses the behaviorist theory of second language acquisition, which stems from behavioral psychology, notably Pavlov's classical conditioning and Skinner's operant conditioning. It explains that language learning, according to behaviorists, is a matter of imitation, reinforcement, and habit formation. The audiolingual method emerged from this theory, emphasizing repetition, drills, and correct responses without focusing on meaning. While this approach was popular in the 1960s, it was later challenged by Noam Chomsky's theory that language is created from abstract rules rather than learned behaviors. Despite its decline, behaviorist principles still influence some teaching methods today.

Takeaways

• 🧠 The behaviorist theory of second language acquisition is based on behavioral psychology, which focuses on learning through conditioned behaviors.
• 🐕 Pavlov's classical conditioning, demonstrated by his experiments with dogs, introduced the idea that a neutral stimulus can evoke a response through repeated association.
• 🔄 Operant conditioning, introduced by Skinner, emphasizes that behavior is more likely to be repeated when followed by reinforcement.
• 🗣️ In the 1950s and 1960s, behavioral psychology was applied to language learning, particularly by Watson and Skinner, leading to the behaviorist theory of second language acquisition.
• 📚 The behaviorist theory views language learners as organisms conditioned to respond to verbal stimuli, with reinforcement guiding correct language use.
• 🗣️ Audiolingualism, a teaching method from this theory, focused on habit formation through repetition, memorization, and drills.
• 📖 Audiolingualism excluded meaning from early language learning, prioritizing correct form and oral language over written language.
• ⚖️ The theory emphasized error prevention and correction, following the operant conditioning principle of reinforcing correct behavior and discouraging errors.
• ⏳ Despite its popularity in the 1960s, audiolingualism's limitations, such as lack of transferability to real-world communication and its perceived monotony, led to its decline.
• 💡 Linguist Noam Chomsky criticized the behaviorist view, arguing that language involves creativity and abstract rule formation rather than habit formation.

Q & A

What is the behavioral psychology theory and how does it relate to language learning?

Behavioral psychology theory suggests that all actions, whether by humans or animals, are learned behaviors that can be learned and unlearned. This theory relates to language learning as it was applied to understand how behaviors, such as verbal responses, can be conditioned through stimuli and reinforcement, leading to the behaviorist theory of second language acquisition.

Can you explain Pavlov's experiment with dogs and how it led to the concept of classical conditioning?

Pavlov's experiment involved ringing a bell before feeding his dogs, which eventually led the dogs to associate the bell's sound with food, causing them to salivate at the sound of the bell even without food present. This experiment demonstrated classical conditioning, where a neutral stimulus begins to evoke a specific response after being repeatedly paired with another stimulus that naturally triggers the response.

Who is Skinner and how did his work contribute to operant conditioning?

Skinner was an American psychologist who contributed to the development of operant conditioning. His work focused on the idea that a response to a stimulus becomes more likely if it is followed by a reward or reinforcement, shaping behavior through the consequences of actions.

What is the behaviorist theory of second language acquisition (SLA)?

The behaviorist theory of SLA posits that language learning is a process of conditioning where learners respond to language stimuli through verbal behavior, and these responses are reinforced by approval from teachers and peers, leading to the formation of language habits.

How does audiolingualism relate to the behaviorist theory of language learning?

Audiolingualism is a teaching method that emerged from the behaviorist theory, focusing on language learning as habit formation. It emphasizes the use of dialogues and drills for repetition and memorization, with an initial focus on oral language and a later introduction of written language.

Why was the meaning of language often excluded from consideration in the early stages of audiolingualism?

In the early stages of audiolingualism, the focus was on forming habits rather than understanding meaning. It was believed that it wasn't crucial for learners to know what they were saying as long as the language was being produced correctly.

What was the role of error prevention and correction in the audiolingualism method?

Error prevention and correction played a significant role in audiolingualism, aligning with operant conditioning principles. Correct responses were positively reinforced, while incorrect ones received negative reinforcement to encourage the desired behavior.

Why did the popularity of audiolingualism decline?

The popularity of audiolingualism declined because it fell short of expectations, with students struggling to apply their learned skills in real-world communication. Additionally, the method's reliance on drilling, memorization, and repetition was found to be boring by many students.

What was Noam Chomsky's critique of the behaviorist theory of language learning?

Noam Chomsky argued against the behaviorist theory, stating that language is not merely a habit structure. He proposed that linguistic behavior involves the creation of new sentences and patterns based on abstract rules, suggesting that language use is not just imitative but also创造性的.

How does the behaviorist theory still influence language teaching today?

Although the behaviorist theory's influence has waned since its peak in the 1960s, its core ideas continue to shape some teaching strategies. Techniques such as dialogue, repetition, and drilling, which can be traced back to the behaviorist approach, are still used in language instruction.

In conclusion, how is language learning viewed from the behaviorist perspective?

From the behaviorist perspective, language learning is seen as a process of conditioning that involves imitation, reinforcement, and habit formation. While this theory has its limitations, it still contributes to the understanding of how second languages are learned.