http://www.ejurnal.undana.ac.id/AJES © AJES-Acad. J. Edu. Sci Nai/AJES, 2021, 5 (2): 74 – 78 ISSN-2654-5624(O), ISSN-2654-5969(P) 74 BEHAVIORISTIC PARADIGM IN EARLY CHILDREN'S EDUCATION: DON'T KNOW THEN DON'T LOVE Firmina Angela Nai firminanai@gmail.com Nusa Cendana University, Kupang-Indonesia INTRODUCTION Behavioristic theory is very popular in certain decades in the twentieth century with an understanding of the formation of habitus or habits through patterns of conditioning (stimulus), connection (response), and reinforcement (reinforcement). Learning and learning anything from multiple sources is seen as the main pattern of forming human behavior or habits. Based on this term, learning for life does not occur by itself, but is "conditioned" in events and the learning process. The behavioristic notion that is used as the main basis in this paper is the idea of Edward Thorndike quoted from Dale H. Schunk (2012) and Margaret E. Bell Gredler (1986). Thorndike's ideas have undergone many revisions and developments in line with the dynamics of individual learning behavior. Hergenhahn and Matthew as quoted by Yoga Anjas Pratama, (2019 in Fajil & Suyadi, 2020), for example, have explained the 3 laws of learning Thorndike's ideas into 4 laws of learning within the individual. Initially, Thorndike (1913 in Gredler, 1986, Translated 1991: 51-53) explained that there are three main learning laws, namely the law of effect, the law of practice, and the law of readiness. In these three laws, other laws related to individual behavior in learning have also been implicit (Gredler, 1986, Alilingual, 1991: 52). Law of Readiness (Law of Readiness): when a person is prepared to act, then taking the action is rewarding, if not doing so is punishing. In learning, if students are ready to learn certain actions or objects (in relation to the level of development or mastery of previous skills), then the behaviors that support the smooth learning of these actions or objects will be rewarding or more accurately said to be successful. Conversely, if students are not ready to learn or do not have the prerequisite skills to learn, then try to learn will result in punishment(punishing)and wasted time. According to the author, this law of readiness can also be interpreted more broadly in attitudes or behavior after learning. Individuals will be ready to apply learning outcomes automatically as a result of reinforcement that has become a behavior or habit. Law of Exercise: Thorndike (1913a) in Gredler (1986, Translated 1991: 51) formulates it through a proverb "Practice makes perfect". In other words, repeated experiences increase the chances of the correct response occurring. However, repetition that is not accompanied by satisfactory conditions will not improve learning. It's like the AUD Mother and Teacher being flight attendants, who every time they fly, must remind passengers about how to use seat belts. 4 times serving flights, then 4 times the flight attendant will demonstrate this. Law of Effect: The law of effect is an individual's motivation in doing learning will be awakened if he knows the effect that will be produced after learning. The effect will build individual motivation to do learning. When the individual is very ready to learn, then the object or action is learned, then the effect or result will be very satisfying for the individual who is learning. That's the reward or the prize. Meanwhile, if the individual is not ready, then the effect is a reward or punishment, namely the futility of the individual in learning. This explains that the mechanism of rewarding and punishing according to the behavioristic paradigm is not intended for corporal punishment, but on satisfaction and dissatisfaction with the results obtained for individuals after learning. Law of Attitude: This law of attitude explains that or attitudes human can occur in the form of behavior after learning. Based on this, individual attitudes are influenced by what the learner gets in the learning process. Thorndike also believes that learning occurs through a series of experiments trial and error or selecting and connecting (Schunk, 2012: 101). Trial and error occur in a series that is repeated so that formed, reinforcement is namely reinforcement that becomes a habit. It is the same with efforts to instill interest in reading.