Running head: PSYCHOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS OF CURRICULUM
Psychological Foundations of Curriculum
Rogelio Nava Jr.
Concordia University
PSYCHOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS OF CURRICULUM
Psychological Foundations of Curriculum
The authors begin this section by addressing the importance of human psychology to curricularists in that it
should be a focus when developing curriculum. [Teaching and learning]processes are essential to curricularists
because the curriculum has worth only when students learn and gain knowledge, (Ornstein, 2013). This perspective
shapes the chapter as the authors discuss the three major theories of learning, behaviorist or association theories,
cognitive information-processing theories, and finally phenomenological and humanistic theories. Behaviorism
highlights the importance of the students environment as an agent responsible for the shaping of learning as well as
the application of knowledge. This approach also underscores the role of connectivism in learning. The five major
theories that fall under the umbrella of behaviorism include, law of effect, classical conditioning, operant
conditioning, observational learning, and heirarchial learning. These principles are primarily concerned with the
roles of environmental situation, stimulus, and the response or nonresponse elicited. Each of the five is rooted in the
rudimentary drivers of human nature, which are arrived at through philosophical speculation about the nature of
learning, (p. 92). While behaviorism champions the role of the learners environment, cognitive psychology on the
other hand, is a bit more ambiguous about how much importance environment has on a students ability to learn.
This approach reconciles the shaping of an individuals characteristics by giving credence to both heredity and
environment. Under this psychological approach fall eight major theories, structured play, cognitive stages of
development, theory of language and cultural transmission, structure of a subject, eight multiple intelligences, 120
potential cognitive processes, and critical thinking. Current curricula have increasingly operated from this approach
since the 1950s while combining it with the more traditional behaviorist theories. Cognitive psychology deals with
the observed cognitive stages developed in humans as well as, increasing complexity, relating concepts, and
teaching students how to think critically. Proponents of this school of psychology include Montessori, Piaget,
Gardner, and Guilford who emphasize a learner-centered approach and have had a tremendous impact on the basis
from which curricularists shape and create their curriculum.
I agree with the authors that humanistic psychology stands in stark contrast to behaviorist psychology but
take issue with their presentation of the third force learning theory, (p. 118). I felt as though the stance taken by
traditional psychologists of viewing phenomenology as being based on little knowledge and therefore inherently
inferior was perhaps subconsciously translated while writing this section. This chapter was organized in a way that
placed humanistic psychology at the end, perhaps because it is the least popular or practiced or possibly because the
PSYCHOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS OF CURRICULUM
authors viewed it as the least important to discuss. There is not nearly enough written about this third psychology as
the first two and it feels sort of like an after thought. In working with students who come from unstable home
environments and challenging situations I felt this section spoke to me the most while also aligning with my
personal philosophy of developing the whole child. That being said I do not agree with the authors presentation of
the information in this section but can appreciate their methodology in structuring the chapter the way they did.
I feel as though the authors influenced my thinking of the psychological foundations of curriculum by
detailing the many facets of each foundation. I too agree that curriculum should encompass and stem from various
degrees of all three psychological foundations. There is no denying the validity of the practical albeit mechanistic
and rigid behaviorist approach, the logical yet constrictive cognitive approach nor the holistic but qualitative
characteristics of the humanistic and phenomenological approach. Reading and analyzing these three methods has
helped me clarify and name the practices and approaches I employ in my classroom and has also afforded me the
opportunity to achieve a heightened level of self-awareness.
PSYCHOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS OF CURRICULUM
References
Ornstein, A., & Hunkins, F. (2013). Curriculum: Foundations, principles, and issues (6th ed.). Boston: Pearson.
