This document discusses trial and error learning. It explains that trial and error learning involves trying alternative possibilities until the desired outcome is achieved. It describes Thorndike's puzzle box experiment with cats that demonstrated trial and error. The cats initially explored the box unsuccessfully but eventually pressed the lever to open the door and escape to get food. Their escape times became faster with more trials as they learned. This led Thorndike to develop the law of effect, which states that behaviors followed by satisfying consequences are more likely to recur.

1. Lesson 11:
Trial and Error
Learning
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2. From last lesson......
What role does the learner play in each of the different
types of conditioning?
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3. From last lesson......
What role does the learner play in each of the different
types of conditioning?
In classical conditioning, the learner is passive, whereas in
operant conditioning the learner actively chooses to respond
in a particular manner to gain reinforcement or avoid
punishment
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4. This lesson........
• Explain and apply trial-and-error learning
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5. Trial and error learning involves learning by
trying alternative possibilities until the desired
outcome is achieved
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6. Trial and error learning involves learning by
trying alternative possibilities until the desired
outcome is achieved
A simple way of learning to cope with the environmental
demands
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7. Trial and error learning involves learning by
trying alternative possibilities until the desired
outcome is achieved
A simple way of learning to cope with the environmental
demands
Required that an individual (or animal) be motivated to
explore and respond to the environment
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8. Trial and error learning involves learning by
trying alternative possibilities until the desired
outcome is achieved
A simple way of learning to cope with the environmental
demands
Required that an individual (or animal) be motivated to
explore and respond to the environment
Correct Responses (trials) must be rewarded
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9. Thursday, 4 April 2013

10. Thorndike’s puzzle box experiment demonstrated trial
and error in cats
A hungry cat is placed in a
box with slatted sides, food is
placed outside the box and
can be seen
Cat must
operate a
lever to open Cat initially explores box and
the door and unsuccessfully tries to escape
escape to get
the food
By accident (during trial and
error) the cat presses the
lever that opens the door
Cat escapes and eats the food (i.e. is rewarded)
Escape times become faster as the number of trails increase
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11. Thursday, 4 April 2013

12. Cat is ‘instrumental’ in learning the correct response
and ‘operated’ on the environment to get the desired
outcome. Thorndike called this ‘instrumental
learning’
The results of this experiment led Thorndike to develop the
law of effect.
The law of effect essentially states that a behaviour that is
accompanied or closely followed by ‘satisfying‘ consequences is
more likely to recur, and a behaviour that is followed by ‘annoying‘
consequences or discomfort is less likely to recur.
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13. Activities
1) Review Questions:
1) What is trial-error learning?
2) a. Describe Thorndike's puzzle-box experiment
b. Draw a graph to illustrate change in 'time to escape' compared with
number of trials.
3) State Thorndike's 'law of effect'. What form of learning is described by
this 'law'?
2) Exam Questions:
1) Write five short answer questions that could be asked in the exam.
With mark allocations. Knowledge to answer the questions could come
from any lesson from the topic ‘learning’ we have studied thus far, with at
least one involving Trail and Error learning
2) Partner up - swap questions and answer each others questions. When
finished swap back and assess each others work.
Thursday, 4 April 2013