Edward Thorndike Research and Theory

Born in Williamsburg, Massachusetts (August 31, 1874) Earned BS from Wesleyan University-1895 MA at Harvard University-1897 PhD at Columbia University-1898 Studied Psychometrics under the supervision of James McKeen Cattell -Study of psychological measurement such as: Knowledge, abilities, personality traits, and educational achievement Became an instructor at Teachers College at Columbia University Where he remained for the rest of his career. Studies included: Human learning, education, and mental testing.

Experiments Thorndike designed an experiment called a puzzle box (see below) to test hit theories of learning. Animals (mainly cats) would be placed in the box with a lever, and would receive a reward for hitting the lever and escaping. Repeated trials showed that the process became faster and eventually leveled off. This process led to the formation of the “Law of Effect” which states: -Any behavior that is followed by pleasant consequences is likely to be repeated, and any behavior followed by unpleasant consequences is likely to be stopped.

Theory… Learning is the result of forming an association between stimuli and responses. These associations become habits and are strengthened or weakened by their frequency. They can be further strengthened by positive reinforcement. Thorndike’s theory consists of three primary laws:

Theory Cont… (1)Law of effect- Responses to stimuli followed by a reward will be strengthened and become a habitual response to the situation. (2)Law of Readiness- Interference with goal directed learning causes frustration. (3)Law of Exercise- Connections become strengthened with practice, and weakened when practice is discontinued. -Characterized that the two most basic intelligences were “Tail-and- error” and “stimulus-response association.”

The learning theory of Edward Thorndike represents the original Stimulus- Response framework. It summarizes that learning is the result of associations forming between stimuli and response. These associations, or habits become strengthened or weakened by the nature and frequency of the S-R pairing. The hallmark of the theory of connectionism was that learning could be adequately explained without referring to any unobservable internal states. Thorndike is widely known for his contributions to the study of Psychology. He is often referred to as “America’s most productive psychologist, and the father of modern day educational psychology.” Over his career, he published over 500 books and articles pioneering the fields of animal learning and behavioral psychology.