Edward Thorndike
Definition
Edward Thorndike was an American psychologist who proposed the law of effect, stating that behaviors followed by satisfying consequences become more likely to occur in the future, and those followed by unsatisfying consequences become less likely.
Analogy
Think of Thorndike's law like a video game. If you find a strategy that leads to victory (satisfying consequence), you're more likely to use it again in future games. But if a strategy leads to defeat (unsatisfying consequence), you'll probably avoid using it again.
Related terms
Law of Effect: The principle that behaviors are selected by their consequences; behavior having good outcomes tends to be repeated, while behavior having bad outcomes tends not to be repeated.
Operant Conditioning: A type of learning where behavior is controlled by consequences.
Reinforcement: In operant conditioning, any event that strengthens or increases the likelihood of a behavior.
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