Behaviourist Thoery Essay

E.L.Thorndike(1874-1949) was the chief exponent of th theory of joiningism or trial and misapprehension. He was an American Psychologist who conducted Stimulus Response(S-R) theory experiment with the uphold of animals. Thorndike was the first to study the subject of erudition systematically using regularise procedure and apparatus. All learning, according to Thorndike is the formation of bonds or affiliations between Stimulus- Response.The ticktock Box ExperimentThorndikes Experiment on toss in the puzzle is widely known and often quoted in psychology of learning. The data-based set up was very simple. A hungry cast was engrossed in a puzzle box and forbiddenside the box a dish of food was kept. The goofball, in the box had to pull a wander to come out of the box. The cat in the box make several(prenominal) random grounds of jumping, dashing and running to get out of the box. The cat atlast succeeded in pulling the string. The door of the puzzle box opened, the cat ca me out and ate the food.He promtly put the cat to next trial. The cat once more gave a lot of frantic behaviour exclusively it soon succeeded in pulling the string. It beared for several time, Thorndike noticed as the repetition increases the error also reduced i.e., Thorndikes cat showed slow, gradual and continous improvement in performance over successive trials. He concluded that learning of cat in the puzzle box can be explained in name of formation of direct connectionism between stimulus and response.Features of Trial and Error intentionalness1. Learning by trial and error is gradual work at. 2. For learning to occur, the scholar must be definitely motivated. 3. The learner makes random and variable response. 4. somewhat responses do lead to the design (annoying response) 5. Some responses lead to the goal. (satisfying responses) 6. With the increase in number of trials the annoying responses ordain tend to be eliminated and the satisfying responses will be strength ened 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 hungriness and was intensified with the sight of food. ( motivating) 2. Goal To get the food by acquiring out of the box. 3. Block The cat was confined in the box with a closed door. 4. Random Movement The cat, persistently, tried to get out of the box. 5. corporalise of Success As a result of this striving and random movement the cat, by chance, succeeded in opening the door. 6. Selection (of proper moevement) Gradually the cat recognised the correct manipulation of latch. 7. Fixation At last, the cat learned the proper way of opening the door by eliminating all the foolish responses and fixing the only right responses. Through the experiment, Thorndike explains that the learning is nothing but the stamping in of correct responses and stamp ing out of incorrect responses through trial and error.Thorndikes rectitudes of Learningi) uprightness of Readiness The law states When any conduction social unit is ready to conduct, for it do so is satisfying. When a conduction unit is not ready 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 law states When a modifiable connection between a stimulus and response is make and is tended to(p) or followed by a satisfying state of affairs the strength of connection is increase. 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 law states Any response to a situation will, other things macrocosm equal, be more strongly connected with the situation in balance wheel to the number of times it has been connected with that situation and to the average vigour and term of the connectio n.The law has two sub parts a) Law of Use and b) Law of Dis white plague 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 little by little decays.Educational Implication1. Thorndikes theory emphasize the importance 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 aim the knowledge, skills and aptitudes before teaching the topic. 4. More and more opportunities should be given to the learners to use and repeat the know ledge they get in the classroom for effectiveness and eternal retention. 5. To maintain 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 order to benefit from the mechanism of association in the learning process what is being taught at one situation should be linked with the ancient experience of the learner.