American psychologist whose doctoral research on cats escaping puzzle boxes, published as Animal Intelligence in 1898, founded the experimental study of animal learning and produced the Law of Effect: a response followed by a satisfying outcome is strengthened, one followed by discomfort is weakened. Thorndike spent most of his career at Teachers College, Columbia University, extending his connectionist account of learning to human education and mental testing, and his stimulus-response framework became a direct forerunner of B.F. Skinner's operant conditioning and behaviorism generally.
Facts
Birth YearSourced to the subject's own account Death YearSourced to the subject's own account Nationality / CultureSourced to the subject's own account Defining ContributionSourced to the subject's own accountThe Law of Effect and the puzzle-box method, founding experimental studies of animal learning and anticipating operant conditioning. 1 Notable WorkSourced to the subject's own accountAnimal Intelligence (1898) 1 Connections
Associated With
Thorndike's 1920 officer-rating study first documented the effect.
In Branch
Source Edward Thorndike (Wikipedia)
Studies Conducted
Source SimplyPsychology: Edward Thorndike
Theories and Concepts Developed
Edward Thorndike formulated the law of effect from his puzzle-box experiments with cats, establishing that responses followed by satisfying consequences are more likely to be repeated.
In the Other Atlases
Same As
Also in Education Atlas: the same subject.
Nationality
Also in Geography Atlas: the nationality of this subject.
Sources
1. SimplyPsychology: Edward Thorndike
Simply PsychologyEdward Thorndike: The Law of Effect, biography section
Edward Lee Thorndike was born on August 31, 1874, in Williamsburg, Massachusetts, the son of a Methodist minister.
Edward Thorndike: The Law of Effect, Law of Effect section
Responses that produce a satisfying effect in a particular situation become more likely to occur again in that situation, and responses that produce a discomforting effect become less likely to occur again in that situation.
Edward Thorndike: The Law of Effect, publication section
His doctoral dissertation, Animal Intelligence (1898), reported the puzzle-box experiments described above.
Studies Conducted: Thorndike's Puzzle Box Experiments, Page text
The experiments proved that animals, in this case, cats, don't learn through sudden moments of "insight" or human-like reasoning.
View the Source Edward Thorndike (Wikipedia)
In Branch: Educational Psychology, Lead sectionQuote, In Branch: Educational Psychology, Lead section
Edward Lee Thorndike ((1874-08-31)August 31, 1874 - (1949-08-09)August 9, 1949) was an American psychologist who spent nearly his entire career at Teachers College, Columbia University.
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