Discuss the overall significance for the development of behaviorism of Thorndike’s research on human and animal learning.
Thorndike conventionally kept his viewpoints regarding “stamping out” or “stamping in” out of a reaction capability as the effect law:
Any action under a given circumstances yields satisfaction and becomes linked with that circumstance, such that when the circumstances are repeated, the action also takes place more often as compared to earlier.
Contrarily, any action under a given circumstance yields discomfort and becomes unlinked with the circumstance, such that when the circumstance is repeated, the action takes place less often as compared to earlier.
An accompanied law-exercise law or use or disuse law asserts that any reaction taking place under a specific circumstance gets linked with that circumstance. The more reaction is used under the circumstance, the more firmly it gets linked with that circumstance. Contrarily, the continued disuse of the reaction weakens the linkage.
Via an intense program of research on subjects which were humans, Thorndike reexamined the effect law. The results showed that reinforcing a reaction strengthens it, and punishing a reaction do not result into relative adverse effect.
Investigations of Thorndike on animal and human learning are one of the most essential programs of research in the psychology of history. Work by him indicated the elevation of theory of elevation eminence in the psychology and the detached spirit where he conducted research established the behaviorism foundation.