Learning Theory

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EDWARD L. THORNDIKE
CONNECTIONISM THEORY

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Edward L. Thorndike
 Main principle: Learning could be adequately
explained without considering any unobservable
traits.
 One of the first pioneers of ACTIVE LEARNING, a
theory that proposes letting children learn
themselves rather than receiving instruction from
teachers.
 The most basic form of learning is TRIAL and
ERROR.

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Put more emphasis on the response of
organism not limiting himself to the
association between the stimulus and the
response.
Learning has taken place when a strong
connection or bond between stimulus and
response is formed.

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Thorndike’s Experiment
 Thorndike place cat in boxes from which they had to
escape to get food.
 After much trial and error, the cat learned to
associate pressing the lever (Stimulus) with the
opening of the door (response). The cat tend to
repeat the behavior that led to escape and not to
repeat the behaviors that were ineffective. This
stimulus-response connection is established. HOW?
Because it results in a satisfying state of affairs
(escape from the box)

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Three primary laws
1. Law of Effect.
• Stated that a connection between a stimulus and
response is strengthened when the consequences
is positive (reward) and the connection between the
stimulus and the response is weakened when the
consequence is negative.
• Learning will always be much more effective when a
feeling of satisfaction, pleasantness, or reward
accompanied in learning process.

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 Students learn if they are being rewarded, self-
satisfied through positive reinforcement.
Ex:
 Student change in behavior through punishment.
Ex:

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Revision:
He found out that negative reward, (punishment) did not
necessarily weaken bonds, and that some seemingly pleasurable
consequences do not necessarily motivate performance.

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2. Law of Exercise
• Stated the more an S-R bond is practiced the
stronger it will become
• “Practice makes perfect”
• We learn by doing. We forget by not doing.
• S-R connections that are repeated are
strengthened.
• S-R connections that are not use are weakened.

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 Stresses the idea that repetition is basic to the
development of adequate responses.
 Things most often repeated are easily remembered.
 The mind can rarely recall new concepts after a
single exposure, but every time it is repeated,
practiced, learning learning continues and is
enforced.

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Repetitive Activities:
R
R
R
Manual drill or physical application

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REMEMBER:
Practice makes _________, not
_______ UNLESS the task is taught
correctly.

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Revision:
• Practice without feedback does not
necessarily mean enhance performance
• Practice alone is not enough for
improvement.

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3. Law of Readiness
• It states that, the more readiness the learner has to
respond to the stimulus, the stronger will be bond
between them
• When the person is ready to respond to a stimulus
and is not made to respond, it becomes annoying to
the person.
• The learner should be biologically prepared.
• One learns only when he is physically and mentally
ready for it.

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Principles
 a. When someone is ready to perform some act, to
do so is satisfying.
 b. When someone is ready to perform some act, not
to do so is annoying.
 c. When someone is not ready to perform some act
and is forced to do so, it is annoying.

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Principles Derived from Thorndike’s
Connectionism
 Learning requires both practice and rewards
(effect/exercise)
 A series of S-R connections can be chained together
if they belong to the same action sequence
(readiness)
 Transfer of learning occurs because of previously
encountered situations.
 Intelligence is a function of the number of
connections learned

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Relationship between the Law of
effect and the Law of Exercise
 Law of Exercise operates only in conjunction with
the Law of Effect. Practice alone is not enough for
improvement of skills/behaviors.
Example A. Child is practicing/ learning how to dance

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 Example B. Raising of hands during
Recitation/answering during recitation.
 Students practice of raising of hands (Law of
exercise) during recitation is likely to weaken if he is
not given an opportunity to answer even once.

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Implication to Education
Students are more likely to learn if they are
ready and it brings better results in learning.
Students are likely experienced being ready
to demonstrate and not given a chance to do
it. Disappointment will result to Reluctance in
learning in the students part.

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Learning among students is not possible if
they are forced to do so. They will just hate
learning if force and authority will be applied.
Many students will soon get disinterested in
earning, because they are force to learn,
when they are not physically and mentally
ready for it.

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Major contributions
• Edward Thorndike published about 500 books and
articles as learning in fish, methods of statistical
analysis and the elements of aesthetic quality in
urban life.
• He studied animal intelligence... known for his 'cats
in a puzzle box' experiments on Trial and Error.
• He applied animal to human educational experience;
he was once the leader in this field.