Two theories of human behavior in common use by social workers are behaviorism and psychodynamic theory.
Behaviorism asserts that behavior is controlled by environmental contingencies i.e. what precedes and\or follows given behaviors. Undesirable behaviors are changed by rearranging behavioral contingencies.
Psychodynamic theory asserts that behavior is governed primarily by feelings and beliefs generated by the personÕs past life experience interacting with current circumstances. Undesirable behaviors are changed by changing dysfunctional feelings and beliefs with an emphasis on feeling change.
problem Ð Discuss the problem of disruptive classroom behavior from the two theoretical points of view and then formulate a research question consistent with each theoretical point of view.
PROBLEM Ð Formulate a research hypothesis consistent with the assumptions of each theory.
A hypothesis states a presumed cause of something which is called the independent variable and an effect (the problem of interest) called the dependent variable.
Example hypothesis Ð Children raised by parents expressing attitudes reflecting high levels of authoritarianism will be judged by primary grade teachers to be more controlled and less creative than children raised with parents who express attitudes reflecting low levels of authoritarianism.
Independent variable = parental levels of authoritarianism
Dependent variable = levels of creativity in primary grade children