Thorndike's law of effect: what it is, examples and criticism

Our actions have consequences, but what if they didn't? For example, would we commit more infractions on public roads if there were no sanctions for it? Could we avoid discussions with certain people we disagree with if there were no consequences afterwards? Perhaps this is familiar to you since you have experienced it before.

Having information on this topic can provide you with the knowledge you need about this concept. Do you want to know more about this? In this Psychology-Online article, we will provide you with information about the Thorndike's law of effect: what it is, examples and criticism.

Index

1. What is Thorndike's law of effect?
2. Thorndike's experiment the box problem
3. Everyday Examples of Thorndike's Law of Effect
4. Criticism of Thorndike's law of effect

Edward Thorndike was an American psychologist who devoted himself to studying the behavior of both animals and people. Thorndike placed special emphasis on the results of certain behaviors observed in his studies, so it is

This researcher proposed Thorndike's law of effect, which explains that behavior can be modified according to the consequences it has. In this sense, it should be noted that the results considered positive can be implemented as behavior patterns sustained over time due to the effects they have. In this way, there will be a greater chance that said action will be repeated.

On the contrary, this law mentions that the chances of repeating the same behavior with negative consequences will be lower.

One of the areas of greatest interest to Thorndike was the study of animal behavior. In order to get more support for his theoretical framework, he decided to study the behavior of cats to determine their intelligence.

To do this, he designed an experiment called "problem box" which consisted of placing cats inside wooden boxes and food dishes out of reach of these animals. This idea allowed him to observe the different strategies that the felines carried out to get out of the boxes and get the food. However, Thorndike put up certain obstacles that made it difficult for the animal to get out.

Some time after performing this test, it was concluded that the resolution time of a problem diminished considerably when the animal correctly resolved the opening of the gate. In this sense, it was proven that the positive results of a behavior determine the chances that the behavior in question will be repeated.

If you want to know more, in this article you will find explained other interesting psychological experiments.

In order to clarify how Thorndike's law of effect works, below we will show you everyday examples that are applicable to this principle:

• Example 1: an athlete man decides to run a marathon without having warmed up beforehand to avoid injuries. However, the day after completing the marathon they detect a tear in his adductors. Because of these circumstances, from now on man could decide to perform warm-ups previous every time he has to run a marathon so as not to have a negative result in his behaviour.
• Example 2: A woman has studied for months to pass an exam to enter a residence. After doing so, he finds out that he has successfully passed the test and has been able to achieve his goal. Consequently, in the future you may spend a lot of time studying every time you want to get a good grade on some exam. In these cases, you can consult this article on how to motivate yourself to study.

Beyond the characteristics of Thorndike's law of effect, the truth is that it has aroused some opinions contrary to its hypotheses. Next, we will see in detail the most outstanding criticisms:

• Perception of negative results: This principle states that negative results and their consequences are generalized to all people, without any kind of possible distinction. However, each person's perception may vary depending on the environment that surrounds them and their own assessment of what happens to them. For example, verbal abuse of one person is a behavior with negative outcomes, but another person might see it as reinforcing positive behavior as self-improvement.
• Perception of positive results: In line with the previous point, it is also impossible to generalize what is meant by a positive result. The perception of each person determines that each one associates a certain valuation to each stimulus that can change depending on the variables of the environment.
• Experimentation in controlled context: The results visualized by the law of the Thorndike effect have been obtained in controlled research places such as laboratories. However, the possible incidences that the interferences that arise in open environments could have are left aside. For example, the problem-box experiment could have had different results if the experiment had been carried out with more people, different noises or smells, etc.

This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

If you want to read more articles similar to Thorndike's law of effect: what it is, examples and criticism, we recommend that you enter our category of basic psychology.

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