Learning Tips

How can we apply behaviourist theories to help us learn better🧐?

As we have learned the main theories and experiments about behaviourism, we would like to share some tips to help you to change and/or reinforce your behaviour in order to enhance your learning experience!! ✨😜


Here are the learning tips based on behaviourism that you may apply to help you learn and study!

1️⃣ Classical Conditioning: Condition yourself to study and learn!

Classical Conditioning is a form of associative learning which involves an automatic stimulus and a specific stimulus. It posits that learning and forming new associations can help to shape new behaviours and responses. By associating two different or even unrelated stimuli together, a new learned response can be created.

Let’s apply classical conditioning theory to help us study! Firstly, create an environment that is cosy and mood-boosting which encourages you to study and learn. Secondly, associate the “ideal” study environment of yours with your study time and moment📚. Lastly, after several times of associations, whenever you are placed in the same or similar ‘ideal’ study environment, you will automatically get in the study mood.

2️⃣ Operant Conditioning: Reward yourself as a reinforcement to elicit desirable behaviour.

Operant conditioning is about learning from the consequences of your behaviour. In other words, the consequences of behaviour would determine the likelihood of the behaviour or response occurring in future. When a behaviour is constantly reinforced by a reward, the likelihood of that behaviour occurring again in future is high. Whereas, when a behaviour is followed by a punishment, it is less likely for that behaviour to occur again in the future. Therefore, reward increases the frequency of the behaviour and punishment decreases it.

Applying reinforcement theory in learning, we will focus on the rewards to act as a reinforcement to increase the target behaviour that we wanted. Think about it, the main behaviour that you want is to study and learn. In order to increase the chances of it occurring, you can create yourself a reward system! The reward system can and should be individualized and personalized! :) We would love to share 4️⃣ different examples of rewards that you can get for yourself!

Celebrate your achievements 🥳

When you reach your goals, for example finishing writing an essay, you should celebrate it! You can praise yourself by using third-person pronouns and say: “Hey Sam, you did well!” “Hey Sam, look! You manage to finish writing an essay!”

Reward with Food 🍜

It is undeniable that learning and studying requires a certain level of effort, especially keeping your brain actively working and thinking. So, it is normal if you feel hungry after long hours of study or learning. Go ahead, and reward yourself with food! It can be your favourite meal, or satisfying any of your cravings! Trust me, you are going to feel good after eating! Most importantly, it can also provide you energy to continue your learning journey!

Reward with Short Nap 😴

Over studying and learning can cause fatigue. So, do not push yourself too hard! Take a break, it can be a short nap that takes around 20 to 40 minutes. Studies have also found that 45 minutes of napping during the day improves semantic memory which will definitely help improve your learning progress!.

Reward with Movie 🎞️

If you are a movie person. Watching a drama or movie relaxes you and reduces your stress. It can be one type of reward too! Get some snacks and popcorn to chill out a while after long hours of study and before going back to study!

3️⃣Social Learning: Always be humble to learn from others!

Social Learning Theory suggests that learning and acquiring new behaviour involves the process of observations and imitations. You can form a group study with your friends and make them become your study buddies👭! You and your friends can be each other’s role models and sources of motivation. However, it is important to remember to avoid unnecessary comparisons. Treating them as your learning partners, teammates, and friends. This is because teammates help each other, they stick together, they help each other to work and achieve the same goals! Besides that, having someone to study together allows discussions and generations of new ideas! It’s cool, isn’t it?

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In brief, we have covered all three main behaviourist theories that you may apply to improve your study and learning processes. Here’s a gentle reminder 📌: the tips we shared here are subjected to each individual. Everyone has their own unique way of learning. Hence, some ways may work for others but are not suitable for you.

We, fish psychology, strongly encourage you to find out and choose the learning techniques that work best for you!!💖 We also acknowledge that studying can be hard or overwhelming sometimes. Do not forget to take a break from time to time ya, because your health is equally important as well!! We believe that with your hard work and perseverance, you will eventually reach your goal! All the best and have fun learning 😉!