Thorndike proposed a multi-factor theory of intelligence that opposed the idea of general intelligence. He believed intelligence is composed of many specific mental abilities or factors. Each intellectual task involves a combination of these factors. The degree of correlation between two tasks depends on the common factors involved. Thorndike identified four attributes of intelligence: level, range, area, and speed. He also proposed three laws of learning: the law of readiness, the law of exercise, and the law of effect. Learning is influenced by motivation, practice, rewards and punishments.

1. Thorndike-
Multi-factor
theory
Jammu University
2 Year B.Ed.
Paper 202
Sem: II
Dr. Atul Thakur
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License.

2. Multi-factor theory of Thorndike
Thorndike was an Associationist and he
opposed the theory of General intelligence.
proposed that they are Specific stimuli and
Specific response.
-Intelligence is nothing more than a
convenient name for almost infinite number
of actual or potential specific connections
between these stimuli and responses.

3. According to the theory- intelligence is said
to be constituted of multitude of separate
factors or elements each being a minute
element or ability.
A mental act involves a number of these
minute elements operating together.
If any two tasks are correlated, the degree of
correlation is due to the common elements
involved in the two tasks.

4. 4 attributes of intelligence
Level
Range
Area
Speed

5. Level
This refers to the difficulty of a task that can
be solved.
If we think of all test items arranged in a
sequential order of increasing difficulty, then
the height that we can ascend on this ladder of
difficulty determines our level of intelligence.

6. Range
This refers to the number of tasks at any given
degree of difficulty that we can solve.
Theoretically an individual possessing a given
level of intelligence should be able to solve the
whole range of task at that level.
Range is determined not only by Level but also
by the Breadth of experience and by opportunity
to learn.
In intelligence tests range is representated by
items of equal difficulty.

7. Area
It refers to the total number of situations at each
level to which the individual is able to respond.
Area is the summation of all the ranges at each
level of intelligence processed by an individual.
Speed
This is the rapidity with which an individual can
respond to items.
Speed and altitude are positively related. Speed
is much closely bound up with altitude than are
the other attributes. We should not therefore
emphasis speed too much in our intelligence test.

8. Thorndike’s Laws of Learning:
Law of Readiness:-
First primary law of learning -‘Law of
Readiness’ or the ‘Law of Action Tendency’,
means that learning takes place when an
action tendency is aroused through
preparatory adjustment, set or attitude.
Readiness means a preparation of action.
If one is not prepared to learn, learning cannot
be automatically instilled in him

9. Law of Exercise:-
means that drill or practice helps in increasing
efficiency and durability of learning and
according to Throndike’s S-R Bond Theory, the
connections are strengthened with trail or
practice and the connections are weakened when
trial or practice is discontinued.
The ‘law of exercise’, therefore, is also
understood as the ‘law of use and disuse’ in
which case connections or bonds made in the
brain cortex are weakened or loosened.
Many examples of this case are found in case of
human learning.

10.  Law of Effect:-
 -the trial or steps leading to satisfaction stamps in the bond
or connection.
 Satisfying states lead to consolidation and strengthening of
the connection, whereas dis-satisfaction, annoyance or
pain lead to the weakening or stamping out of the
connection.
 In fact, the ‘law of effect’ signifies that if the response
satisfy the subject, they are learnt and selected, while those
which are not satisfying are eliminated.
 Teaching, therefore, must be pleasing.
 greater the satisfaction stronger will be the motive to learn.
 Thus, intensity is an important condition of ‘law of effect’

11. five subordinate laws
Law of Multiple – Response-
the organism varies or changes its response till
an appropriate behaviour is hit upon.
Without varying the responses, the
correspondence for the solution might never be
elicited.
If the individual wants to solve a puzzle, he is to
try in different ways rather than mechanically
persisting in the same way.
Throndike’s cat in the puzzle box moved about
and tried many ways to come out till finally it hit
the latch with her paw which opened the door
and it jumped out.

12. The Law of Set or Attitude-
Learning is guided by a total set or attitude of
the organism, which determines not only what
the person will do but what will satisfy or
annoy him.
A student unless sets to get first position and
has the attitude of being at the top, would
while away the time and would not learn
much.
learning is affected more in the individual if
he is set to learn more or to excel.

13. Pre- potency of Elements:-
-the learner reacts selectively to the important or
essential in the situation and neglects the other
features or elements which may be irrelevant or
non- essential.
The ability to deal with the essential or the
relevant part of the situation, makes analytical
and insightful learning possible.
In this law of pre-potency of elements,
Thorndike is really anticipating insight in
learning which was more emphasized by the
Gestaltions.

14. Law of Response by Analogy-
- the individual makes use of old experiences or
acquisitions while learning a new situation.
There is a tendency to utilise common elements
in the new situation as existed in a similar past
situation.
The learning of driving a car, for instance, is
facilitated by the earlier acquired skill of driving
a motor cycle or even riding a bicycle because
the perspective or maintaining a balance and
controlling the handle helps in stearing the car.


15. The Law of Associative Shifting-
-we may get an response, of which a learner is
capable, associated with any other situation to
which he is sensitive.
Thorndike illustrated this by the act of teaching a
cat to stand up at a command.
A fish was dangled before the cat while he said ‘
stand up’.
After a number trails by presenting the fish after
uttering the command ‘stand up’, he later ousted
the fish and the over all command of ‘stand up’
was found sufficient to evoke the response in the
cat by standing up

16. Thorndike Educational Implications
According to this theory the task can be started
from the easier aspect towards its difficult side.
This approach will benefit the weaker and
backward children.
A small child learns some skills through trial and
error method only such as sitting, standing,
walking, running etc. In teaching also the child
rectifies the writing after commiting mistakes.
In this theory more emphasis has been laid on
motivation. Thus, before starting teaching in the
classroom the students should be properly
motivated.

17. Practice leads a man towards maturity. Practice
is the main feature of trial and error method.
Practice helps in reducing the errors committed
by the child in learning any concept.
Habits are formed as a result of repeitition. With
the help of this theory the wrong habits of the
children can be modified and the good habits
strengthened.
The effects of rewards and punishment also
affect the learning of the child. Thus, the theory
lays emphasis on the use of reward and
punishment in the class by the teacher.

18. The theory may be found quite helpful in
changing the behaviour of the deliquent children.
The teacher should cure such children making
use of this theory.
With the help of this theory the teacher can
control the negative emotions of the children
such as anger, jealousy etc.
The teacher can improve his teaching methods
making use of this theory. He must observe the
effects of his teaching methods on the students
and should not hesitate to make necessary
changes in them, if required.

19.  The theory pays more emphasis on oral drill work.
Thus, a teacher should conduct oral drill of the taught
contents. This help in strengthening the learning more.
 The content which is being taught or learnt should be
linked with the past experiences, and learning on the
one hand and with the future learning on the other, so
as to benefit from the mechanism of association,
connection or bonds in the process of learning.
 The learner should try to see the similarities and
dissimilarities between the different kinds of responses
to stimuli and by comparison and contrast and try to
apply the learning from one situation to other similar
situations.