APPROACHES TO LEARNING

BEHAVIORISM
CONSTRUCTIVISM
SOCIAL COGNITIVISM
COGNITIVISM

BEHAVIORISM

TRIAL AND ERROR- E.L THORNDIKE

CLASSICAL CONDITIONING-IVAN

PAVLOV OPERANT CONDITIONING- B.F

SKINNER
TRIAL AND ERROR-
E.L THORNDIKE
TRIAL AND ERROR LEARNING/

(CONNECTIONISM)
TRIAL AND ERROR
“Trial and Error is a method of learning in which various

responses are tentatively tried and some discarded until a

 solution is obtained.”
Trial and Error method of learning is a stimulus –response
theory which assumes that through conditioning specific
responses came to be linked with some specific stimuli.
According to Thorndike, the chief way to effect S-R
connection is through trial and error and hence this process
is called Trial and Error learning.
A hungry cat was put in a cage which could be opened by
pressing a liver. A piece of fish was put outside the cage. The cat
indulged in a number of random activities such as clawing the
bars, scratching the cage, walking around etc. in order to get out
of the cage. After such trial-and-error activities the cat succeeded
in pulling the lever and getting out of the cage. On subsequent
trails, the cat took shorter and shorter period of time, committed
less and less errors. Finally, it learnt to come out easily.

LAWS
PRIMARY LAWS 1.LAW OF MULTIPLE RESPONSE:

2.LAW OF ATTITUDE
1. LAW OF READINESS
2. LAW OF EXERCISE 3. 3.LAW OF PREPOTENCY OF
LAW OF EFFECT ELEMENTS:
SECONDARY LAWS
4. LAW OF RESPONSE BY ANALOGY
5.LAW OF ASSOCIATIVE SHIFTING

THE LAW OF READINESS :

” when a conduction unit is ready to conduct, for it to do so

is satisfying, when a conduction unit is not ready to conduct,

for it to conduct is annoying, when a conduction unit is

ready to conduct, not to conduct is also annoying”.

 LAW OF EXERCISE:
LAW OF USE things being equal,
increased

 “when a modifiable
LAW OF DISUSE
connection is made
between stimulus
 when a modifiable
and response, that
connection is not
connection, if other
made between a length of time that
stimulus and connection strength,
response, during the decreased.

THE LAW OF EFFECT:

when a modifiable connection is made between stimulus and

response and is accompanied by satisfying state of affairs
 that connection strength is increased. When it is
accompanied by annoying state of affairs, its strength is
decreased
SUBORDINATE LAWS

 1.LAW OF MULTIPLE RESPONSE:

In a new learning situation, the learner responds in a variety of ways, before arriving at
correct response .

 2.LAW OFATTITUDE:

The learner performs the task well if he has attitude set in the task.
 3. LAW OF PREPOTENCY OF ELEMENTS :

By using his insight, the learner selects the prepotent in situation and bases his responses upon
these elements .

 4. LAW OF RESPONSE BYANALOGY:

The learner responds to a new learning situation on the basis of responses made by him in
similar situations in the past
.

 5.LAW OFASSOCIATIVE SHIFTING:

The responses of learner shift with situation or stimulus
 EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS

• importance of mental readiness, meaningful practices

and incentives of learning
• learned connection for long, review of learned
material is necessary
• opportunities should be given to use and repeat
• new learning should link with the past experience