Thorndike's Laws of Learning:

Thorndike categories his Laws of Learning in the following manner:

1. Major Laws of Learning:

According to Thorndike Major Laws of Learning are as follows:
(a) Law of Effect: Learning occurs only if the response has some effect on the environment. When
a modifiable connection is made between Stimulus—Response, satisfaction strengthens the bond,
annoyance weakens it. But later (1932) it was modified as: satisfaction strengthens the bond but
annoyance does not weaken it.

Classroom Application of Law of Effect:

 Classroom experience should be satisfactory and pleasant. The teacher must enjoy his teaching
work. This improves the memory of students.
 Learning experiences and other activities must be meaningful and understandable in terms of
personal life of the learners.
 School activities are to be arranged in such a way that students gain some confidence and
success in their work.
 School activities are to be organised with increasing difficulty order so that students can
progress without difficulty.
 Materials should be provided in varied ways so that novelty may be maintained.
 Guidance, praise, appreciation whatever gives pleasure can be given to students and they should
be encouraged to proceed in the right path.
 Reward and Punishment—Reward is to be given for good behaviour that can be cultivated in
learners and punishment for problem behaviour than can be remedied.

(b) Law of Exercise: It has two fold, like, (1) Law of use and (2) Law of disuse

(1) Law of Use: Other things remaining equally the more frequently a modifiable connection is
made between stimulus and response, the stronger the connection will be.

(2) Law of Disuse: Other things remaining equal when a modifiable connection is not made over a
period between S-R, the connection is weakened.

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Classroom Application of Law of Exercise:

 More and more opportunities are to be given to the connection between stimulus and response
and students are to use and repeat the knowledge they get in the class.
 To maintain connections for a longer period, revision of the learned material is necessary.
 Drill strengthens the bond between S-R. It plays an important role in lower classes for learning
alphabets, tables, multiplication and word meanings.
 By practice handwriting can be improved.
 Correct pronunciation can be learnt by practice and incorrect pronunciation a avoided by not
repeating it.
 Mathematics is improved which is solely dependent on practice.
 Formation of good habits if good acts are repeated before the students.
 Bad habits can be eradicated. If children are made to practice bad habits consciously, they tend
to have them.
 Skills like music, painting, athletics etc. can be developed by this law.

(c) Law of Readiness or law of Motivation: When we are ready to learn, we learn more quickly,
effectively and with greater satisfaction than when we are not ready to learn. So for any learning,
learner must be mentally set or ready. e.g.: A person cannot learn if he is troubled acutely with
pangs of hunger. He should be ready to learn.

Classroom Application of Law of Readiness:

 Teacher must wait till the learner is ready to learn. Motivation is important. If students are
properly motivated they will learn hastily.
 Teacher should arouse attention and interest of the students by asking suitable questions.
 Teacher must arouse the curiosity of the pupils.
 Aptitude tests in various subjects to be given to test the thoroughness of the learners.

2. Minor Laws of Learning:

According to Thorndike Minor Laws of Learning are as follows:

(a) Law of Varied or Multiple Responses: An individual or animal makes many responses to the
same situation before attempting the right response through trial and errors.

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Classroom Application of Law of Varied or Multiple Responses:

 By trial and error learners get a wide experience and a chance to experiment themselves.
 They learn from their own errors.

(b) Law of Mental Set: Mental set refers to the predisposition to act in a given way. For learning to
occur, positive mental set in pupils is an essential condition.

Classroom Application of Law of Mental set:

 Teacher can prepare the students for various activities in advance and can encourage him to
participate in various school activities that inculcate positive mental set.
 Emotional atmosphere of the school should be congenial and students should feel positive about
their future.
 Teacher should be deeply concerned and interested in students’ progress.

(c) Law of Partial Activity: Learner is capable of selecting the important from the irrelevant
element in order to determine appropriate responses.

Classroom Application of Law of Partial Activity:

Learner can be asked to summarise the important points of a lesson after it has been taught.

(d) Law of Analogy or Assimilation: When an individual is faced with a new situation to which he
has no natural or learned response, he responds to the new situation as he did in the previous similar
situation.

Classroom Application of Law of Analogy or Assimilation:

 Teacher must provide identity between historical and present day events.
 Teacher can use the maxim “known to unknown” while teaching and relate the textbook
material to the lives of the learners.
 This law is explained in unit approach i.e. learner makes decisions, grows and develops
democratic pointed view.

(e) Law of Associative Shifting: Conditioned response, a response may be shifted from one
situation to another which is presented at the same time.
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Classroom Application of Law of Associative Shifting:

 Habits, attitudes and interests that children develop in school from the working equipment with
which they will performs their function as adults.
 Respect for objective view, systematic methods of problem solving, concern for others and
effective work habits are to be developed in children.

3.1.1.3. Educational Implications of Thorndike's Theory of Learning:

The theory of Thorndike, often known as 'bond theory'/trial and error/connectionism, has a great
educational significance. Its role in education is discussed as under –

 Various mechanical activities are learnt by this method. Besides, activities such as cycling,
swimming, typing, tailoring, driving, etc. are acquired by the method of trial and error.
 It gives support to the work of practice drill and encourages repetition; so that the association
or connection of any activity is strengthened by providing reward.
 Several scientific and technological inventions have taken place by this method.
 This theory improves the learning and teaching methods. It develops interest in work, interest
in improvement and attentiveness among the students.
 It provides a sort of motivation while performing learning activities. It has made learning goal
directed and purposeful activity.
 Reward and punishment in psychological terms has been properly taken care of by this theory
e.g. the teacher gives reward or appreciates the work of the learner, thereby the behaviour in
terms of learning some other things get enhanced. If punishment is given, the errors which a
learner comments, during his work gets minimized meaning thereby that the learner does not
repeat the errors in the later behaviour.
 Thorndike's theory emphasizes the importance of motivation in learning. So learning should
be made purposeful and goal directed.
 It stresses the importance of mental readiness, meaningful practice and incentive in learning
process.
 The law of readiness implies that the teacher should prepare the minds of the students to be
ready to accept the knowledge, skills and aptitudes before teaching the topic.

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 More and more opportunities should be given to the learners to use and repeat the knowledge
they get in the classroom for effectiveness and longer retention.
 To maintain learned connection for longer period, review of learned material is necessary.
 The law of effect has called attention to the importance of motivation and reinforcement in
learning.
 In order to benefit from the mechanism of association in the learning process what is being
taught at one situation should be linked with the past experience of the learner.

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