FTCE Professional Education Practice Exam

Which theorist is associated with the law of effect?

1. B. F. Skinner

2. Jean Piaget

3. Edward L. Thorndike

4. John Dewey

The correct answer is: Edward L. Thorndike

The law of effect is a principle formulated by Edward L. Thorndike, which states that responses followed by satisfying outcomes are more likely to occur again in similar situations, while responses followed by unsatisfactory outcomes are less likely to be repeated. Thorndike's research primarily focused on animal behavior, where he conducted experiments using cats in puzzle boxes. Through these experiments, he observed that the more a cat performed a particular action successfully to escape the box and obtain a reward, the quicker it would perform that action in subsequent trials. Thus, Thorndike's law of effect laid the foundation for later behaviorist theories, particularly those of B. F. Skinner, but it is specifically attributed to him. This principle highlights the importance of consequences in learning and behavior, which has significant implications in education and instructional design.