The law of effect principle developed by Edward Thorndike If the situation is replicated, suggested that answers followed by satisfaction will become reoccur. If distress follows the situation, the connections to this situation will get weaker, and the response’s behaviour is likely to happen when the situation is replicated.

Imagine that you arrive early to work by accident. Your boss Notices and praises your diligence. The compliments make you feel good, so the behaviour is reinforced by it. You begin showing up for work to keep getting the commendations of your boss. The activity became more likely to be replicated in the future because the behaviour was followed by a consequence.

More Cases

• If you study and then get a great grade on a test, you’ll be more inclined to study for another exam.
• If you work hard and then obtain a promotion and pay increase, you’ll be more inclined to continue to put in more effort on the job.
• If you run a red light and get a traffic ticket, you’ll be less inclined to disobey traffic lights later on.

Discovery

While we often associate the thought that results lead to changes in behaviour with the process of operant conditioning and B.F. Skinner, this notion has its origins in the early work of psychologist Edward Thorndike.

In his experiments, Thorndike used what’s known to examine how animals learn.

The boxes were enclosed but comprised a lever which, when pressed, would enable the animal.

Thorndike would put a cat in the mystery box and then put a Piece of meat away from the box and observe the animal’s attempts to acquire and to escape the food. He recorded each creature took to determine how to free itself.

The cats would press on the lever, and the door would open So the reward could be received by the animal. Although first pressing on the lever happened by accident, the cats became likely to repeat it because they had received an award immediately.

Thorndike noted that the cats became opening the door. Since pressing on the lever had contributed to a positive outcome, the cats were more likely to execute the behaviour again.

Thorndike termed this the”Law of Effect,” which indicated that if An association is followed by satisfaction, it’s more likely to be repeated. If an action is followed by an outcome, then it becomes less likely to be repeated.

There are two aspects of the law of effect:

• Behaviours promptly followed by positive effects are more likely to occur. In our example, for showing up early for work, being commended by a manager made it more probable that the behaviour would be repeated.
• Behaviours accompanied by negative consequences are less likely to happen again. If you miss an important meeting and show up late for work, you will be less likely to show up in the future. The behaviour is likely to be repeated Since you see the meeting as a negative consequence.

Impact on Behaviorism

Thorndike’s discovery had a significant influence on the creation of behaviourism. B.F. Skinner based his concept of operant conditioning on the law of effect. Skinner even developed his version of a mystery box that he called an operant conditioning chamber (also called a Skinner box).

In operant conditioning, behaviours that are reinforced are strengthened, while those that are penalized are weakened. Effect’s law had a significant influence on evolution.​

Many principles remain in use today. In therapeutic Other health professionals and settings, psychologists use reinforcement discourage ones and to promote positive behaviours. In such situations, the use of outcomes might be utilized to increase the chance of behaviours.

Thorndike’s study on learning’s laws and an important role played In behavioural psychology’s development and continues to exert influence to this day.