Law of Effect and Operant Conditioning

Edward Thorndike:

1. Explain Thorndike's puzzle-box experiment.
A=/ Thorndike puts cat in a puzzle box and observed the cat trying to get out. The cat had to figure out how to get out. Each time a cat gets out, the process started again. Each time the cat gets out more quickly than the previous trial.

2. Explain Thorndike's "Law of Effect".
A=/If the response comes familiar with the situation, then its likely to be done again through a reward.

3. Explain Thorndike's "Law of Exercise".
A=/ The more you make practice by associations, the more success it has to perform well.


B.F. Skinner:

1. Explain Skinner's concept of Operant Conditioning
A=/ Behavior's effects based on an action made due to the particular behavior, whether a reinforcement or a punishment comes out.

2. What does  reinforcement always do?
A=/To fortify a behavior done.

3. What does a punishment alsways do?
A=/To decrease or halt a behavior done.

4. Explain the difference between "postive" and "negative" as they are used in opernat conditioning.
A=/The action has reinforcing (something is given), or receives a punsishment(something is taken away).

Works Cited

-www.psychology.uiowa.edu/faculty/wasserman/.../Puzzle.html

-www.britannica.com/.../Thorndikes-law-of-effect

-psychology.about.com/od/behavioralpsychology/a/introopcond.html

-www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/proj/nru/opcond.html