Law+of+Effect

toc Definition: One of Thorndike's laws of learning, which states that the consequence, or effect, of a response will determine whether the tendency to respond in the same way in the future will be strengthened or weakened. Gen Psych Chapter 5 pp. 144-147

The Law of Effect states that responses that have a satisfying effect in situation become more likely to occur again in that same situation, and responses that produce a discomforting effect become less likely to occur again in the same situation. This is similar to the evolutionary theory.

= Examples: = An example could be if a child is praised for getting good grades, he might continue to get good grades. If a child gets yelled at for bad grades, the bad consequence will lead him to not get bad grades.

= Analogies: = An analogy is if you want more money you need to work more. you want to get paid more you need a better job. If you want a nice body, hit the gym.

= Mnemonics: = [insert mnemonics here] (give a mnemonic in place of the bracketed text above, then delete these instructions. Please do not delete instructions unless you are adding something to this section. If you don't know of any mnemonics, leave this section unchanged for someone else to improve on. See Sample Page for a definition and an example of a mnemonic.)

=In the News:= Law of effect: Vote for dynasty, we lose sanity To most unschooled immigrants, the law and order were confusing as soon as they arrived in some American states. This happened to a man who smuggled himself out of Africa. Days after his arrival, he was arrested for sidewalk vending in a local city. Now he stood before the bar of justice with three young ladies arrested for soliciting. [] The “Law of Effect” – Putting The Pieces Together We are of course all different. Our needs will vary in degree, in shape, and in the nature of our answers, but needs are common to all of us. As we are alert to them, as we understand them, so will our success with others be measured. []

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