Trial and Error Learning

The first miniature Trial and Error learning system of the method was provided by Thorndike’s research
on Animal Intelligence in 1898. This form of learning falls under S-R learning theory and also known as
Connectionism.

Classic Experiment on Trial and Error Learning

Thorndike placed a hungry cat inside a puzzle box, and a plate of fish was kept outside the box. It was
impossible for the cat to get to the plate, unless it could open the door and get out. Thorndike had
arranged the puzzle box such that, the cat either had to pull a loop or press a lever in order to open the
door. Initially, the cat moved randomly inside the box; biting and clawing at the bars, thrusting its paws
and trying to squeeze out of the box. After several minutes of trying these ineffective responses, the cat
accidentally pulled the loop. Having hit the correct response, the cat managed to get out and it was
awarded with a small piece of fish. The cat was placed inside the box again. This time around, the cat
took less time to pull the loop. The exercise was continued repeatedly. It was seen that as the number of
trials increased, the time taken to pull the loop decreased. As the response latency decreased, the cat
finally learned the trick; it then pulled the loop as soon as it was put in the box and managed to get out.

The term “Trial and Error Learning” was then introduced as the number of trials resulted in decreased
number of errors.

Laws of Trial and Error Learning

Law of readiness

The first law speaks about learners’ enthusiasm. It is an accepted truth that learning happens only when there is a
will to learn. Generally, an individual learns more efficiently and with more indulgence only when he is ready to
learn.

Law of exercise
The second law is about repetition. We all know that practice makes a man perfect. It means doing something
regularly makes one perfect. In the eLearning context, when the learner comes across the same content at different
instances, he is able to reinforce his learning better.

Law of effect
The third law is about learners’ encouragement. It is undeniable that learning happens only when the learner feels
satisfied and is rewarded for his knowledge. You, as a developer, must create positive emotions in order to
encourage the learners

Law of primacy
The fourth law is the ‘law of primacy’ which speaks about the opinions of the learner. It is a well-known fact that
the first impression is the best impression. Generally, when a person learns something, it becomes problematic to
persuade him for something different.
References;
Book; Introduction to Psychology

Morgan T. Clifford
King A. Richard.
Weisz R. John.
Schopler John.
Published by; McGraw Hill Education (India Pvt. Ltd) Edition 1993

Laming, D. (1992). Analysis of short-term retention: Models for Brown-Peterson experiments.

Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 18, 1342-1365.