. Trial and Error Theory of learning-its laws and implications PDF

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Education psychologist Edward Lee Thorndike (1874-1949) is widely regarded as one of the most influential in the world. Tests and social psychology are among the areas in which he made significant contributions to theory and research in his career. There are neural connections between stimulus and r...

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Trial and Error Theory of learning-its laws and implications .

Education psychologist Edward Lee Thorndike (1874-1949) is widely regarded as one of the most influential in the world. Tests and social psychology are among the areas in which he made significant contributions to theory and research in his career. There are neural connections between stimulus and response, according to Thorndike's 1913 theory of learning. The S-R symbols represent the formed connections. This theory is also known as the "Bond Theory of Learning" because of the word "bond" being used to describe these connections. Writings by Thorndike, "Learning is connecting. When it comes to connecting people, "the mind is man's conduit." Theoretical Knowledge Thorndike argues that the only way to learn is to make mistakes and learn from them. It's referred to as "learning by selection of the successful variant," and when there is no ready-made solution to a problem, the learner uses the trial and error method. He begins by attempting a single option. If it doesn't work, he throws it out and moves on to the next. Finally, he discovers the correct answer by eliminating errors or irrelevant responses that don't serve the purpose.

Thus, in trial and error method, the learner makes random activities and finally reaches the goal accidently. One thing to keep in mind is that there are often systematic and relevant responses even in the process of trial and error. Things don't just happen by chance. The learner is encouraged to engage in these seemingly unrelated activities by the situation, and so he does so. There are six stages of learning: Goal, Block (inhibitions), Random Movements or multiple responses, chance success, selection, and Fixation. Law or Readiness: When an action tendency is aroused through preparatory adjustment, set or attitude prior to learning, it is called the "Law of Readiness" or "Law of Action Tendency." Preparedness refers to a state of being ready to act. For example, unless the typist first prepares himself to begin learning to type, he will make little progress if he attempts to learn the skill in a sluggish and unprepared manner. Law of Exercise: When Thorndike's S-R Bond Theory is applied to the learning process, it

states that the connections are strengthened with trial or practise, and that the connections are weakened when trial or practise is discontinued.

As a result, the 'law of exercise' can be interpreted as the 'law of use and disuse,' in which the brain's cortical connections and bonds weaken or loosen with time. In the case of human learning, there are numerous examples of this. Driving, typing, singing, and memorising are all examples of activities that necessitate practise and repetition. Law of Effect:

According to a third law called "Law of Effect," the trial or steps leading to satisfaction are etched into the bond or connection. Positive emotions lead to stronger connections, while negative emotions such as annoyance or pain weaken or eliminate those connections.

According to this "law or effect," a response is learned and selected if it is satisfactory to the subject. Those who do not meet expectations are disposed of. As a result, the act of instructing must be enjoyable. Student preferences and interests should be respected by the teacher. In other words, the more content you are, the more eager you will be to learn new things. As a result, the "law of effect" places a high value on intensity. Thorndike also mentions five additional subordinate laws that help explain the learning process in addition to these three fundamental ones.

These are: Law of Multiple-Response:

When it comes to it, the organism varies or alters its responses until it finds the right one. The correct answer may never be found if the responses are not varied enough. If a person is trying to solve a puzzle, he or she is not simply repeating the same steps over and over again. Thorndike's cat was wriggling around in the puzzle box, trying various escape routes until she finally hit the latch with her paw and jumped out.

The Law of Set or Attitude: Learners are steered by an organism's overall set or attitude, which determines their actions as well as what makes them happy or unhappy. The cricketer, for example, will not be able to make a century without a goal in mind. He would be wasting his time and not learning anything if he didn't have a goal in mind and an attitude of a winner. Consequently, the individual's ability to learn more or excel is significantly affected by his or her desire to do so.

Pre-Potency of Elements Learners tend to focus on the most important or essential aspects of a situation, ignoring other features or elements that are irrelevant or nonessential, according to this law. Analytical and insightful learning are made possible when one can deal with the essential or relevant part of the situation. As a result, Thorndike's pre-potency of elements law is a foreshadow of the Gestations' emphasis on the importance of learning.

Law of Response by Analogy: When confronted with a new situation, the individual applies what he or she has learned in the past to the new one. A common tendency in new situations is to use elements that were present in a previous situation with a similar set of circumstances. If you've already learned how to ride a bike or a motorbike, you'll have an easier time learning how to drive a car, because you'll already know how to keep your balance and control your handle while driving. Law of Associative Shifting: We may get any response that a learner can produce, associated with any situation that the learner is sensitive to, according to this law. Thorndike demonstrated this by demonstrating how he taught a cat to rise to its feet when he called it. While he said, "stand up," he dangled a fish in front of the vat. A series of trials with the fish and the command "stand up" were followed by the removal of the fish and the cat's response by standing up on her hind legs as a result. Thorndike's Theory of Trial and Error: Educational Implications There are educational implications to Thorndike's theory of Trial and Error and his three basic laws of learning Law of Readiness emphasises motivation, while Law of Exercise forces us to accept the well-known fact

that "Practice makes a man perfect," and Law of Effect, which opens up a wide range of possibilities for discussing the role of rewards and punishments in motivating children to learn.

Motivation and learning are, in fact, intertwined terms. There is no desire to learn; therefore, there is no progress. Remember the proverb, "One man can lead a horse to water, but twenty men cannot make him drink" in this case. Motivated learners are more likely to achieve their goals, as evidenced by this claim. It is clear that a person's motivation is a driving force behind their actions or behaviour. That's why teachers succeed when they can get a room full of kids fired up. Horses must be motivated to drink water by their 'thirst' (motivation). Then and only then will he be able to make learning more enjoyable and less tedious.

Tolman and Honzik (1930) conducted a rat experiment that is relevant to this discussion because they used rats as their experimental subjects. To get to the food, the rats in this experiment had to learn to navigate a maze by running and turning their way through it. It was decided to divide the rats into three groups. Rats in the first group were not starving or given any food during the experiment. The second group was starving, but no food was provided. At the end of the trial, the third person was hungry and received food.

Only the third group showed any discernible improvement, as evidenced by the decreasing number of errors with each subsequent attempt. It's a simple equation. The only thing you get out of being motivated and unrewarded is a sense of dread. It's also pointless to put in effort for something you don't care about. As a result, it is the motivation that makes a reward valuable and the satisfaction of that reward that serves as a learning tool.

In a nutshell, it is impossible to learn without motivation or drive, as it both prods the learner into action and introduces light and shadow into a previously unknown field. Motivating students to achieve their goals and releasing tensions that indicate success should be the primary concern of the teacher. Furthermore, he must be emotionally invested in the goal and therefore self-motivated to achieve it. The counsel of a retired school principal is extremely helpful in this situation.

For now, students will try to imitate your speech and gait, but only to a lesser extent than in the past. For every mile you cover, a student is forced to walk. Students will stand if you don't walk around the classroom. Students will fall silent if you remain seated. Students will drift off to sleep if you simply lie on the floor. If you doze off in front of the class, your pupils will perish. One has to admit, however, that the organism's level of performance cannot go beyond a physiological limit, no matter how much we try to motivate it. However, no athlete, no matter how intense the motivation provided, can jump over the Chinese wall no matter if factory workers receive higher bonuses or students receive more praise.

In order to become proficient in a challenging situation or a difficult task, practise is essential, according to this theory. Whatever the level of motivation or reward, it is impossible to handle every difficult situation in a single trial, no matter how much effort is put in. Because of this, one cannot blame India's constitution in a single reading, no matter what the reward is or the threat is to be shot. In order to get better at something, you must practise it until it becomes easier and less tiring.

At the end of the day, we say that S-R has become a habit. For example, a seasoned driver may continue to drive while also listening to music or chatting with a companion who is sitting nearby while doing so. Student learning is accompanied by blundering, which is common in classroom settings. This is not a sign of ineffective teaching, however, because students learn this way. When he makes a blunder, he should not be alarmed.

At each stage of blundering, there will be new insights that will be uncovered. A regal path to success does not exist. "The teachers who are responsible for the beginning of any new subject should be the best available," says Psychologist Kennedy-Fraser, "because the students have no defensive system of properly formed habits to protect them from the evil effects of bad teaching."

In reality, the best way to learn is to get out there and try new things. In order for teachers to fulfil their role, students should be given opportunities to uncover the significance of things on their own. Methods that are

completely ineffective must be eliminated as well as the errors that are being made. The teacher, on the other hand, must maintain a strict line when supervising students.

In addition, both punishment and reward may play a significant role in the learning process. However, experiments have shown that motivation can be effectively managed if it is kept in a positive state. The effects of severe inhibition tend to spread throughout the entire learning environment. Occasionally, educators will hammer home the pitfalls of student behaviour. It is important to focus on the correct reaction rather than the false one because the latter is more effective at preventing the false one from occurring. To be most effective, fixating rewards should allow for immediate and total release.

The rate of learning and coordination is significantly slowed when there is a delay between a successful performance and receiving a reward. When it comes to school, the pleasures should be closely tied to the task at hand. Otherwise, there is little chance of lasting effects. It's easier to master this aspect of motivating a problem than the manipulations of tensions and releases. In other words, the learner should be promptly and accurately kept up to date on his or her progress.

Although this theory is not widely accepted for its educational significance, certain subjects like mathematics, mathematics tables, memorising poetry and grammar rules etc. cannot be avoided by learning by Trial and Errand. It is possible to use the Trial and Error method in all areas of reasoning.

In a nutshell, the theory states that: According to his theory, the task can be approached in stages, with the easier parts coming first and working your way up to the more difficult ones. It is hoped that this strategy will help children who are less capable. Learning to sit, stand, walk and run as a small child is all done through trial and error. In the classroom, the student corrects his or her own writing after making mistakes. This theory places a greater emphasis on the importance of motivation.

Students, therefore, must be enthused and ready to learn before classes begin. Maturity is attained through consistent practise. Trial and error relies heavily on experience and repetition. As a child learns a new concept, the more practise he or she gets, the fewer mistakes they'll make. When something is repeated enough times, it becomes a habit. It is possible to change the bad habits of children and strengthen the good ones with the help of this theory. Rewarding and punishing children in different ways has an impact on their ability to learn. In other words, this theory emphasises the teacher's use of rewards and punishments. The theory could be very helpful in changing the bad habits of children. This theory should be used by the teacher to help treat these children....