Cognitive Theory vs. Behaviorism

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Cognitive Theory vs Behaviorism The basic model for how the individual learns new things is called cognitivism. This theory became popular in the 1950’s and serves as an alternative learning theory that is known as behaviorism. Cognitivism is viewed as the mind that works as a computer with the assets to store and process things. It is assumed that the brain takes in information, analyzes it, stores it, and uses it. To those that agree with the theory of cognitivism, they are more concerned with the inner processes and less concerned with outward behavior. These people feel that the importance of learning how a person processes information is more important than experience. Accordingly, it can be said that ten people given the same experience, would each learn from it in very different ways. This means that each individual would develop totally disparate behaviors because each has disparate ways of thinking about things (TEXT). The theory of cognitivism was developed as a tool for the rival theory – behaviorism. This alternative theory approaches the subject from the point of external experience. Behaviorists are typically concerned with experiences and how individuals react to them. Every visible behavior is generally associated or even directly related with the external cause. The followers of behaviorism theories believe that all individuals are the same at birth, and based upon various life experiences are what makes them different (Morrison et al., 2004). These learning theories, like behaviorism and cognitivism, are seen as more than just that. These are the basic models of how the whole way the mind is built. This is important because these two models both see the mental processes in relation to learning. This being so, means that as the person is aging, he is also learning to live. In theory, the individual is learning positive things that lead
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