The Law of Effect is a psychological principle that states that behaviors that are followed by positive outcomes are likely to be repeated and behaviors with negative outcomes are unlikely to be repeated. This law was first proposed by Edward Thorndike in 1898 and has since become a cornerstone of behavioral psychology. This law has been used to explain a wide range of human behaviors, including learning, motivation, and social interaction.
In Thorndike’s original experiment, he placed hungry cats in puzzles boxes and observed their behaviors. He found that when cats were successful in escaping from the boxes, they were more likely to repeat the behavior that led to their success. On the other hand, when cats were unsuccessful in escaping, they were less likely to repeat the behavior. Thorndike concluded that behaviors that are followed by positive outcomes (such as escaping from the box) are likely to be repeated, while behaviors followed by negative outcomes (such as being unable to escape) are unlikely to be repeated.
The Law of Effect has been used to explain a wide range of behaviors, including learning, motivation, and social interaction. For example, this law has been used to explain why people are more likely to repeat behaviors that are associated with positive outcomes (such as getting rewarded for completing a task) and less likely to repeat behaviors that are associated with negative outcomes (such as being punished for not completing a task). Additionally, the Law of Effect has been used to explain why people find certain behaviors rewarding (such as eating delicious food) and why certain behaviors can become habits (such as brushing teeth every day).
The Law of Effect is an important concept in psychology and has been used to explain many different behaviors. However, it is important to note that this law is not without its critics. Some have argued that this law does not take into account the complexities of human behavior, such as the influence of emotions and social contexts. Additionally, this law does not explain why some behaviors can become habits even when they do not result in positive outcomes.
Despite its critics, the Law of Effect has been an important part of psychological research for over a century. This law has been used to explain a wide range of behaviors, from learning to motivation to social interaction. As such, it is an important concept for anyone interested in understanding human behavior.
References
Thorndike, E. L. (1898). Animal intelligence: Experimental studies. Psychological Monographs: General and Applied, 2, 1-109.
Thorndike, E. L. (1911). Animal intelligence: An experimental study of the associative processes in animals. Psychological Monographs: General and Applied, 18, 1-109.
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O’Donohue, W., & Ferguson, K. (2018). Behavioral psychology. In E. J. Mash & R. A. Barkley (Eds.), Treatment of childhood disorders (4th ed., pp. 169–188). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Hockenbury, D. H., & Hockenbury, S. E. (2018). Psychology (7th ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers.