ABSTRACT
This chapter shows that the behaviourist model of learning is capable of helping people to understand and influence almost any kind of learning. It looks at well-known behaviourists like B. F. Skinner and A. Watson, while also shedding some light on work done by lesser known early behaviourists such as Edward Thorndike. The chapter explores the developments of the behaviourist model of learning, ranging from the well-regarded social learning and self-efficacy theories of Albert Bandura to the less widely known but nonetheless significant work done on topics such as intentionality and behaviour. It considers educational practices including 'token economies' or 'gamification' as well as important social issues such as the effects of video games on children's behaviour, all of which draw on the behaviourist model of learning to achieve their insights. The chapter shows that the behaviourist model of learning is a sophisticated tool which can help people to understand and predict people's learning in a large range of educational contexts.
