Behaviourist Thoery Essay

E.L.Thorndike(1874-1949) was the chief exponent of th theory of connectionism or exam and error. He was an American Psychologist who conducted Stimulus Response(S-R) theory experiment with the help of animals. Thorndike was the inaugural to study the subject of learning systematically using standardized surgical operation and apparatus. All learning, according to Thorndike is the validation of bonds or connections among Stimulus- Response.The Puzzle corner ExperimentThorndikes Experiment on cat in the cause is widely known and often quoted in psychology of learning. The experimental striation up was very simple. A hungry cat was confined in a puzzle box and protrudeside the box a dish of food was kept. The cat, in the box had to pull a string to develop out of the box. The cat in the box made several ergodic movement of jumping, dashing and running to get out of the box. The cat atlast succeeded in wrench the string. The door of the puzzle box opened, the cat came out an d have the food.He promtly put the cat to next trial. The cat again gave a lot of frantic behaviour but it soon succeeded in pulling the string. It citeed for several time, Thorndike noticed as the repetition increases the error to a fault reduced i.e., Thorndikes cat showed slow, gradual and continous improvement in writ of execution over successive trials. He concluded that learning of cat in the puzzle box can be explained in term of formation of direct connectionism among stimulus and response.Features of Trial and Error skill1. training by trial and error is gradual influence. 2. For learning to occur, the learner moldiness be definitely motivated. 3. The learner makes random and variable response. 4. Some responses do lead to the goal (annoying response) 5. Some responses lead to the goal. ( substantive responses) 6. With the increase in mo of trials the annoying responses will tend to be eliminated and the satisfying responses will be potencyened and repeated. 7. The time taken to perform the task (to repeat the satisfying response) decreases with successive trials.The experiment sum up the following in the process of learning 1. Drive In the present experiment, drive was hunger and was escalate with the sight of food. (motivation) 2. Goal To get the food by getting out of the box.3. Block The cat was confined in the box with a disagreeable door. 4. Random Movement The cat, persistently, tried to get out of the box. 5. Chance of conquest As a result of this striving and random movement the cat, by chance, succeeded in opening the door. 6. Selection (of prim moevement) Gradually the cat recognise the correct manipulation of latch. 7. Fixation At last, the cat learned the proper way of opening the door by eliminating all the incorrect responses and fastness the only right responses. Through the experiment, Thorndike explains that the learning is nothing but the stamping in of correct responses and stamping out of incorrect responses throu gh trial and error.Thorndikes constabularys of Learningi) Law of Readiness The equity states When any conduction unit is pull in to conduct, for it do so is satisfying. When a conduction unit is not seduce to conduct. for it to conduct is annoying. When any conduction is ready to conduct, for it not to do so is annoying.ii) Law of Effect The impartiality states When a modifiable connection betwixt a stimulus and response is made and is accompanied or followed by a satisfying state of affairs the strength of connection is increased. When a connection between stimulus and response is made and accompanied or followed by an annoying state of affairs , it strength decreases.iii) Law of Execise The justness states Any response to a situation will, other things cosmos equal, be more strongly connected with the situation in proportion to the build of times it has been connected with that situation and to the average vigour and duration of the connection.The legality has two sub p arts a) Law of Use and b) Law of carelessness a) Law of Use states that When a modifiable connection is made between a situation and response that connection strength is increased if it is practised. b) Law of Disuse states that When a modifiable connection is not made between a situation and response, during a length of time, that connections strength is decreased. This means, any act that is not practised for sometime gradually decays.educational Implication1. Thorndikes theory emphasize the immensity of motivation in learning. So learning should be made purposeful and goal directed. 2. It stresses the importance of mental readiness, meaningful practise and incentive in learning process. 3. The law of readiness implies that the teacher should prepare the minds of the students to be ready to accept the knowledge, skills and aptitudes earlier teaching the topic. 4. More and more opportunities should be given to the learners to use and repeat the knowledge they get in the classroo m for effectiveness and longer retention. 5. To champion learned connection for longer period, review of learned material is necessary. 6. The law of effect has called atention to the importance of motivation and reinforcement in learning. 7. In parliamentary procedure to benefit from the mechanism of association in the learning process what is being taught at one situation should be linked with the past welcome of the learner.