law of effect
INTRODUCTION
The question such as what goes into the process of
learning? , How does an individual learns skills, habits and interest? led to
the enquiry and investigation for psychologist and thus a number of theories
came into existence. These theories are broadly classified into two-
connectionist or behaviorist theories and cognitive theories.
CONNECTIONIST OR
BEHAVIOURIST THEORY
Connectionist or behaviorist theories belong to the
school of behaviorism. They interpret learning in terms of connection or
association between stimulus and response. Under this category, includes
theories like Thorndike’s theory of trial and error learning. Guthrie’s
continuity theory of learning, Hull’s drive reduction theory of learning,
classical and operant conditioning etc…
TRIAL AND THEORY
OF LEARNING
The famous psychologist Edward. L. Thorndike was the
initiator of the theory of trial and error learning based on the findings of
his experiments on chickens, rats, and cats. In one of his experiments, he put
a cat in a puzzle box. There was only one door which could be opened by
correctly manipulating latch. A fish was placed outside the box. The smell of
the fish acted as a strong motive for the hungry cat to come out of the box.
In another trial, the process was repeated. The cat was kept hungry and
placed in the same puzzle box. The fish and its smell again works as a motive
for it to get out of the box; it again made random movements and frantic
efforts. But this time, it took less time to come out. In subsequent trials
such incorrect responses, biting, clawing and dashing were gradually reduced
and the cat took less time on each succeeding trial. Gradually, the cat learned
the art of opening the door.
The experiment sums up the following stages in the
process of learning.
1)
Drive
In
the present experiment it was hunger and was intensified by the sight of the food.
2)
Goal
To
get at the food by getting out of the box.
3)
Block
The
cat was confined in the box with a closed door.
4)
Random movements
The
cat persistently tried to come out of the box without knowing how.
5)
Chance success
As
a result of this striving and random movements the cat, by chance, succeeded in
opening the door.
6)
Selection
Gradually,
the cat recognized the correct way to manipulate the latch. It selected the
proper way of manipulating the latch out of its random movements.
7)
Fixation
At
last, the cat learned the proper way to open the door by eliminating all the
incorrect responses and fixing only the right response. Now, it was able to
open the door without any error and in other words, learned the correct way of
opening the door.
THEORIES OF
LEARNING
v Learning
involves trial and error selection and connection
In trying to
find the correct solution, the cat committed error upon the correct move. In
subsequent trials, it tried to avoid the erroneous moves and repeats the
correct manner in manipulating the latch. He maintained that learning is the stamping in of the correct responses and
stamping out of the incorrect responses through a process of trial and error.
Thorndike termed it as learning by selecting and connecting as it provides an
opportunity for the selection of the proper responses and to connect or associate
them with adequate stimuli.
v Learning is the
result of the formation of connections
According to Thorndike,
learning is the result of the formation of a connection in the nervous system
between the stimuli and the response. There is a define association between
sense, impression, impulse and action. This association is named as bond or a
connection. Since it is the strengthening or weakening of these bonds or
connections, Thorndike’s system is sometimes called “Bond psychology” or just “connectionism".
v Learning is
incremental, not insightful
As we go on increasing the number of trials or
practice, our performance gradually improves. Thorndike termed such improvement
in performance as incremental and so concluded that learning is always
incremental. Learning, according to Thorndike, needs several attempts and
trials and then occurs in small systematic steps rather than in huge jumps. A
solution to a problem depends upon the number of opportunities it gets to solve
it.
v Learning is
direct, not mediated by ideas
Thorndike asserted that
learning is direct and is not mediated by thinking, reasoning or other such
mental functions. Learning is a process of establishing a simple connection
between sensory stimuli and the appropriate responses and does not involve
mediation by any ideas, reasoning or thinking.
THORNDIKE’S LAWS
OF LEARNING
Thorndike
propounded the following laws of learning on the basis of his theoretical
notions about the learning process.
I.
The law of readiness
“When any conduction unit is ready to conduct, for
it to do so is satisfying”
If the child is ready
to learn, he learns more quickly, effectively and with greater satisfaction
than if he is not ready to learn. This shows that not to force the child to
learn if he is not ready but to also not miss any opportunity of providing
learning experiences if the child is prepared to learn. He should also make an attempt
to motivate the students by stimulating their attention, interest and
curiosity.
II.
The law of exercise
The law has two sub parts: the law of use and the
law of disuse. The law of use refers to the strengthening of a connection with
practice and the law of disuse of the weakening of connection or forgetting
when the practiced is continued. It can be said in short, that the law of
exercise as a whole emphasizes the need of repetition.
III.
The law of effect
Learning can be said
to have taken place properly when it results in satisfaction and the learner
derives pleasure from it. In the situation when the child meets failure or is
dissatisfied, the progress of learning is blocked. All pleasant experiences
have a lasting influence and are remembered for a long time, while the
unpleasant are soon forgotten. Therefore the satisfaction, pleasure or
displeasure resulting from a learning experience decides the degree of its
effectiveness.
This law emphasizes the role of rewards and punishment in the process of
rewards and punishment in the process of learning. Getting a reward as a result
of some learning motivates and encourages the child to proceed with increased
intensity and enthusiasm while punishment of any kind discourages him and
creates a distaste for that learning.
REVISED LAW OF
EFFECT
Based upon his later researches, Thorndike after
1930 realized that his law of effect was not really correct. He found that
while a pleasant or satisfying situation resulted in the strengthening of the
connection between stimulus and response, an unpleasant or annoying situation
did not necessarily decrease the strength of his connection. From this he
concluded that, while reinforcements in the form of reward or incentives
increase the strength of the S-R connection, unpleasant experiences in the form
of pain or punishment do not necessarily weaken it. Thorndike’s views regarding
the effectiveness of negative measures like punishment in the breaking of
undesirable habits and behavior modification revolutionized the task of rearing
and education of children.
EDUCATIONAL
IMPLICATION
Thorndike’s
trial and error theory has enough educational significance and it explains the
process of teaching and learning, the main task of the teacher is to strengthen
the bonds between the stimuli and response of the things the students want to
remember. Then, the child must be made ready to learn. The teacher should try
to make use of the previous knowledge and experiences of the students. The
child should be encouraged to do his work independently. He must try the
various solutions of the problem before arriving the correct one. It also has
given impetus to the work of practice, drill, and repetition and realized the
psychological importance of rewards and praise in the process of teaching and
learning.
CONCLUSION
Thorndike’s
theory of trial and error learning is a significant contribution to the field
of learning. It has made learning purposeful and goal-directed and has emphasizes
the importance of motivation. It has also given an impetus to drill and
practice and highlighted the psychological importance of rewards and praise in
the field of learning.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Mangal, S. K. (2008). Advanced educational psychology. New Delhi: Prentice Hall of India
Private
Limited.
Dandapani, S. (2001). Advanced educational psychology. New Delhi: Anmol publications
Private
Limited.
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