Behaviorist Theory of Second Language Acquisition

Sharon5 minutes read

Behavioral psychology influenced operant conditioning in second language acquisition, focusing on stimulus-response reinforcement and habit formation through audiolingualism. While behaviorist theory persists in language teaching, modern linguistic theories emphasize abstract rules over imitation and habit formation.

Insights

  • Skinner's operant conditioning, a key aspect of behaviorist theory in second language acquisition, underscores how responses are shaped by rewards, forming the basis for reinforcing language learning through imitation and habit formation.
  • While behaviorist theories, like audiolingualism, stress the conditioning of verbal behavior in language acquisition, modern linguistic perspectives, such as Chomsky's rejection of behaviorism, emphasize the significance of innate abstract rules over mere stimulus-response patterns in language use.

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Recent questions

  • What is the basis of behaviorist theory in second language acquisition?

    Responses are reinforced by rewards.

  • How does audiolingualism approach language teaching?

    Emphasizes habit formation through dialogues and drills.

  • How has behaviorist theory influenced language teaching?

    Emphasizes imitation, reinforcement, and habit formation.

  • What is the role of Skinner in behaviorist theory?

    Developed operant conditioning as a response-reward system.

  • How does modern linguistic theory differ from behaviorism?

    Highlights underlying abstract rules in language use.

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Summary

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"Behaviorist Theory in Language Acquisition and Teaching"

  • Behavioral psychology, exemplified by Pavlov's classical conditioning with dogs, led to the development of operant conditioning by Skinner, where responses are reinforced by rewards, forming the basis for behaviorist theory in second language acquisition.
  • The behaviorist theory of second language acquisition focuses on verbal behavior being conditioned through stimuli, responses, and reinforcement, leading to language mastery seen as acquiring appropriate language stimulus-response chains, with audiolingualism as a teaching method emphasizing habit formation through dialogues, drills, and error correction.
  • Despite its decline in popularity since the 1960s, the behaviorist theory's influence persists in language teaching, emphasizing imitation, reinforcement, and habit formation in language learning, although modern linguistic theories, like Chomsky's rejection of behaviorism, highlight the importance of underlying abstract rules in language use.
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