Behaviorist Study Techniques for High School Students Entering Post Secondary Education

Behaviourism is a psychological theory of learning that explains learning as a process shaped by interactions between the learner and their environment. It is grounded in three key principles: “rely only on what you can externally observe and measure from the subject’s behaviour; all behaviour is either a reflex (genetically determined) triggered by specific stimuli or shaped by reinforcement of previous behaviours; and a focus on environmental conditions” (Graham, 2023). Within Behaviourism, two core approaches illustrate its application: classical conditioning, which shows how behaviours can be learned through association, and operant conditioning. Together, these approaches highlight how external forces shape behaviour, particularly in educational contexts. The aim of this lesson is to teach fundamental behaviorism study techniques that will help newly graduated high school students thrive in their post secondary studies.