Edward Thorndike 1874-1949

Thorndike’s Three Laws of Learning

Edward Thorndike was an American psychologist who developed three laws of learning; the Law of Effect, the Law of Readiness, and the Law of Exercise. His theory further claims that learning is the formation of connections between stimuli and responses.

Law of Effect

This is the simple idea that any behavior followed by a satisfying result is more likely to be repeated, while behaviors followed by unpleasant results are less likely to be repeated. The “satisfying effect” Thorndike described is what we now call reinforcement – it strengthens the connection between a situation and an action.

Law of Readiness

The law of readiness states that learners should be motivated to acquire new knowledge or skill. The right mindset and adequate foundation enables efficient learning of new material.

Law of Exercise (practice makes perfect) 

The law of exercise states that connections are strengthened through repetition and practice. The connection between a stimulus (a situation) and a response (a behavior) is strengthened when it is practiced. The more you do something, the better you get at it. If you don’t use a skill, you lose it.

In Child Psych 501, we learn a lot about the concepts of readiness for learning. A major work in this area was done by the Behaviorists and led by Thorndike. The task for us teachers was in expressing these concepts in ways that could be used in the classroom with our kids. When we are working with a child in learning a task or a process, such as subtraction of whole numbers, we, along with Thorndike) usually define three kinds of readiness that the child may exhibit in doing that task.

1. If Claire is ready to learn how to subtract 75 from 150 and she is allowed to do it, she will have a positive experience.

2. If Claire is ready to learn how to subtract 75 from 150 and she is not allowed to do it, she will have a frustrating experience.

3. If Claire is  not ready to learn how to subtract 75 from 150 and she is forced to do it, she will have a negative experience.

(We will deal with an improvement on this when we get to Humanistic

The Puzzle Box Experiments

Thorndike is most remembered by The Puzzle Box Experiments. Cats were put in a box with a morsel just inches away from their reach in a slotted window. A pedal or cord was in the box. When it was pulled, the latch would open a door allowing the cat to get to the food.

You can imagine what actions the cat made attempting to get at the food. Eventually it would hit the pedal accidentally and the door would open. Question, did the cat learn anything to help him if there were another similar problem? 

Did he connect his striking the pedal with the opening of the door?

In short, did he learn? 

More importantly, what did the experimenter learn?

The experimenter learned (proved?) that cats don’t learn through problem solving methods, from insight,  or other human types of reasoning. Over time, the accidental, successful behaviors became more frequent, while the useless ones, like scratching at the bars, were less attempted.

However, “Trial and Error” was born.

Thorndike’s Learning Theories in Sports

Did Thorndike come up with new concepts in learning or did he observe existing learning activities and give them names and definitions? Did Knute Rockne know about trial and error?

You see Thorndike’s theories everywhere in playing areas, especially in how we structure lessons and manage behaviour.

His Law of Effect is the simple idea of rewards, which we use in the form of verbal praise, stickers on helmets, medals, or points for participation.

Thorndike’s Law of Effect because it’s about timing - creating fewer mental errors by lack of usage.

His Law of Exercise, the “practice makes perfect” rule, is the foundation for shooting free throws  - players repeat a skill trying to achieve mastery.

His core idea of connectionism is why coaches break down complex into smaller, sequential steps, having players master one concept before moving to the next, higher level concept.

What are the benefits of using drills and repetition in learning skills such as the bounce pass in basketball?

When you practice,  you strengthen that stimulus-response bond so that it becomes effortless and automatic. It reduces a player’s cognitive load so time for thinking is more available.

Instead of wasting mental energy trying to remember “What’s the name of that pass?”, the player can dedicate all of his brainpower to solving the more complex, multi-step problem that uses the bounce pass.

Why is providing immediate feedback and rewards important, according to this theory? Rewards are more effective if given soon after good performance. Response closely after specific Stimulus. If the feedback is delayed, the player may not remember what she did to deserve the award.  Immediacy ensures you are strengthening the correct bond.

“At some point, you have to accept the fact that any movement creates waves, and the only other option is to lie still and learn nothing.”

― Becky Chambers, To Be Taught, If Fortunate