Thorndike’s major work is the three-volume series Educational Psychology (Thorndike, 1913a, 1913b, 1914). He postulated that the most fundamental type of learning involves the forming of associations (connections) between sensory experiences (perceptions of stimuli or events) and neural impulses (responses) that manifest themselves behaviorally. He believed that learning often occurs by trial and error (selecting and connecting).
Thorndike began studying learning with a series of experiments on animals (Thorndike, 1911). Animals in problem situations try to attain a goal (e.g., obtain food, reach a destination). From among the many responses they can perform, they select one, perform it, and experience the consequences. The more often they make a response to a stimulus, the more firmly that response becomes connected to that stimulus.
In a typical experimental situation, a cat is placed in a cage. The cat can open an escape hatch by pushing a stick or pulling a chain. After a series of random responses, the cat eventually escapes by making a response that opens the hatch. The cat then is put back into the cage. Over trials, the cat reaches the goal (it escaped) quicker and makes fewer errors prior to responding correctly.
Trial-and-error learning occurs gradually (incrementally) as successful responses are established and unsuccessful ones are abandoned. Connections are formed mechanically through repetition; conscious awareness is not necessary. Animals do not “catch on” or “have insight.” Thorndike understood that human learning is more complex because people engage in other types of learning involving connecting ideas, analyzing, and reasoning (Thorndike, 1913b). Nonetheless, the similarity in research results from animal and human studies led Thorndike to explain complex learning with elementary learning principles. An educated adult possesses millions of stimulus–response connections.
Reference:
Schunk, D. H. (2012). Learning theories an educational perspective sixth edition. Pearson.
Thorndike began studying learning with a series of experiments on animals (Thorndike, 1911). Animals in problem situations try to attain a goal (e.g., obtain food, reach a destination). From among the many responses they can perform, they select one, perform it, and experience the consequences. The more often they make a response to a stimulus, the more firmly that response becomes connected to that stimulus.
In a typical experimental situation, a cat is placed in a cage. The cat can open an escape hatch by pushing a stick or pulling a chain. After a series of random responses, the cat eventually escapes by making a response that opens the hatch. The cat then is put back into the cage. Over trials, the cat reaches the goal (it escaped) quicker and makes fewer errors prior to responding correctly.
Trial-and-error learning occurs gradually (incrementally) as successful responses are established and unsuccessful ones are abandoned. Connections are formed mechanically through repetition; conscious awareness is not necessary. Animals do not “catch on” or “have insight.” Thorndike understood that human learning is more complex because people engage in other types of learning involving connecting ideas, analyzing, and reasoning (Thorndike, 1913b). Nonetheless, the similarity in research results from animal and human studies led Thorndike to explain complex learning with elementary learning principles. An educated adult possesses millions of stimulus–response connections.
Reference:
Schunk, D. H. (2012). Learning theories an educational perspective sixth edition. Pearson.
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