Thorndike’s Theory of Learning

(Trial and Error Learning)

Presented

By

Bonny Samanta

P.N.Das College

Image Source: https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fthriveology.com%2Fthe-trial-and-error-life%2F&psig=AOvVaw0McMJiVb5TZl9SfvjjRU8M&ust=1612210253587000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCMiQ_bX9xu4CFQAAAAAdAAAAABAO

Meaning of Thorndike’s Trial and Error Theory:�

• Edward Lee Thorndike (1874-1949) is generally considered to have been the foremost educational psychologist not only of the United States but of the world. He contributed to research and theory in the field of learning and genetic psychology, testing and social psychology, testing and social psychology. [1]

​

• Thorndike first stated the elements of his theory of learning in 1913 that connections are formed in the nervous system between stimuli and response. These connections formed are illustrated by the symbols S-R. Another word used to describe these connections is the word ‘bond’ and hence,’ this theory is sometimes called a ‘Bond Theory of learning’. Thorndike has written- “Learning is connecting. The mind is man’s connection system.”[1]

​

Puzzle Box

The puzzle box was approximately 20 inches long, 15 inches wide and 11 inches tall. The box had a door that was pulled open by a weight attached to a string that ran over a pulley and was attached to the door. The string attached to the door led to a lever or button inside the box. When the animal pressed the bar or pulled the lever, the string attached to the door would cause the weight to lift and the door to open.[4]

Image source: https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.researchgate.net%2Ffigure%2FOne-of-the-puzzle-boxes-used-by-Thorndike-to-study-the-acquisition-of-new-behaviors-in_fig9_285777770&psig=AOvVaw2zNoXtV6rVk3RQmi8JYRlv&ust=1612249815471000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCKD-zeyQyO4CFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD

Puzzle Box Experiement

• Thorndike's Experiment on cat in the puzzle is widely known and often quoted in psychology of learning. The experimental set up was very simple. A hungry cat was confined in a puzzle box and outside the box a dish of food was kept. The cat, in the box had to pull a string to come out of the box. The cat in the box made several random movements of jumping, dashing and running to get out of the box. The cat at last succeeded in pulling the string. The door of the puzzle box opened, the cat came out and ate the food. He promptly put the cat to next trial. The cat again gave a lot of frantic behaviour but it soon succeeded in pulling the string. It repeated for several time, Thorndike noticed as the repetition increases the error also reduced i.e., Thorndike's cat showed slow, gradual and continuous improvement in performance over successive trials. He concluded that learning of cat in the puzzle box can be explained in term of formation of direct connectionism between stimulus and response.[3] The first miniature Trial and Error learning system of the method was provided by Thorndike’s research on Animal Intelligence in 1898. This form of learning falls under S-R learning theory and also known as Connectionism.[2]�

Image source: https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rRySw4W-f0w/VtClMFpTE3I/AAAAAAAAykA/Pn9-Jr8b5wY/s1600/thorndike-cat-box.jpeg

Image source: https://image.slidesharecdn.com/trialanderrortheory-180303131901/95/trial-and-error-learning-theory-5-638.jpg?cb=1520083169

Learning Curve

• Thorndike explained learning with his “law of effect”. Animals tended to repeat a behavior that resulted in a pleasing effect. This was an early version of the concept of positive reinforcement that Skinner has used effectively. Behavior was varied during a trial and error phase. Thorndike believed that the animal stumbled upon a behavior that produced a desirable effect.[4]
• This created a link between stimulus (cage) and, a response (stepping on switch or pulling the lever). Later, in the same stimulus situation, that response occurred faster.[4]
• He produced a graph called a "learning curve" showing the number of seconds the animal took to escape on each trial.[4]

​

Image source:https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wikipremed.com%2Fmcat_course_psychology.php%3Fmodule%3D4%26section%3D3&psig=AOvVaw03wrbvSKDe_qnox8Iyzwbw&ust=1612249492945000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCMDL79GPyO4CFQAAAAAdAAAAABAK

Conclude

• Thorndike concluded that all animals learn, solely by trial and error or reward and punishment. He used the cat’s behavior in the puzzle box to describe what happens when all the beings learn together. 
• All learning involves the formation of connection and connections were strengthened according to law of effect. Intelligence is the ability to form connections and humans are the most evolved animal because they form more connections than any other being.

​

Thorndike’s Laws of Learning

Based on his experiment, he postulated three laws:

• Law of Readiness: - Readiness is the preparedness of an organism in a certain manner. Readiness depends upon the maturation and experience of the learner.[5]
• Law of Exercise: - The law of exercise is known as the law of habit formation. The law implies the strengthening of S-R connection with practice. The effect of learning is improved by continued practice. This law has two sub-laws.[5]

​

Image source: https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fsolvibrations.org%2Flaw-exercise-readiness-teaching-revised-version%2F&psig=AOvVaw19WPvxx8MTtxr_QbmqAg-p&ust=1612251283450000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCMDarKeWyO4CFQAAAAAdAAAAABAF

• Law of use: - S-R connection is strengthened by practice.
• Law of Disuse: - S-R connection weakens without practice.[5]

​

​

​

• Law of Effect: - The law explains the importance of effect or consequence in strengthening or weakening of the S-R connection. If the learner is satisfied, he gets stamped in. If not stamped out. Satisfying results strengthen the S-R bond. Thus, this law emphasizes on the role of reward and punishment in the process of learning.[5]

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

���

Subordinate Laws of Learning:�

​

• Law of Multiple Response: -According to it the organism varies or changes its response till an appropriate behaviour is hit upon. Without varying the responses, the correspondence for the solution might never be elicited. In new situation learner response in a variety of ways before arriving at correct response.[5]
• Law of Set/ Attitude: - Learning is guided by a total set or attitude of the organism, which determines not only what the person will do but what will satisfy or annoy him. The attitude leads to perform the task well.
• Law of Prepotency of Elements: - According to this law, the learner reacts selectively to the important or essential in the situation and neglects the other features or elements which may be irrelevant or non- essential. The ability to deal with the essential or the relevant part of the situation, makes analytical and insightful learning possible. A learner makes sensitive responses in learning situation. 
• �

• Law of Response by Analogy: - According to this law, the individual makes use of old experiences or acquisitions while learning a new situation. There is a tendency to utilise common elements in the new situation as existed in a similar past situation. Most of the time new situations are tackled by past experiences.[5]

​

• Law of Associative Shifting: - According to this law we may get a response, of which a learner is capable, associated with any other situation to which he is sensitive. Thorndike illustrated this by the act of teaching a cat to stand up at a command. A fish was dangled before the cat while he said, ‘stand up’. After several trails by presenting the fish after uttering the command ‘stand up’, he later ousted the fish and the overall command of ‘stand up’ was found enough to evoke the response in the cat by standing up or her hind legs. Responses shift by situation.[5]

�

Image source: http://srividyagurugubilly.blogspot.com/2019/09/psychology-of-teaching-and-learning.html

References

Pics

• https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fthriveology.com%2Fthe-trial-and-error-life%2F&psig=AOvVaw0McMJiVb5TZl9SfvjjRU8M&ust=1612210253587000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCMiQ_bX9xu4CFQAAAAAdAAAAABAO

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

[1] https://www.psychologydiscussion.net/learning/learning-theory/thorndikes-trial-and-error-theory-learning-psychology/13469

[2] https://www.psychestudy.com/behavioral/learning-memory/trial-error-learning

[3] http://orientalcollege.in/Dynamic_Img/cf5df887-ea32-4e96-9c28-4fe0f3347678.pdf

[4] http://www.edugyan.in/2017/03/edward-lee-thorndike-theory-of-learning.html

[5] http://srividyagurugubilly.blogspot.com/2019/09/psychology-of-teaching-and-learning.html

​

​

​

​

​