The document discusses Thorndike's trial and error learning theory, demonstrated through experiments with a cat in a puzzle box. It outlines various laws of learning, including the law of readiness, law of effect, and law of exercise, emphasizing the role of motivation in the learning process. Ultimately, it conveys the importance of persistence and problem-solving in learning, as illustrated by the cat's determination to find the correct way to escape and obtain food.

1. POWER POINT PRESENTATION
TOPIC NAME : THORNDIKE’S
TRIAL AND ERROR METHOD.
NAME: K.TEENA MOBI.
COLLEGE NAME: St.Ignatius
College of Education,
Palayamkottai.

2. TRIAL AND ERROR LEARNING
THEORY
 According to Thorndike, learning takes
place by trial and error method. In
learning the learner selects a correct
response out of a large number of
possible ones and connects it with the
appropriate stimulus.
 Learning by this method is called Trial
and Error Learning Theory.

3. TRIAL AND ERROR LEARNING
EXPERIMENT
Thorndike conducted his experiments
on his cat in the puzzle box. The door of
the box could be opened by pulling the
strings inside the box. A fish was kept
outside. The cat was tried to come out of
the box by squeezing, jumping, biting,
etc. As the experiment was repeated for
several times the wrong movements
decreased and in the end the cat was
able to open in a single trial.

4. TRIAL AND ERROR METHOD
EXPERIMENT IMAGES

5. FACTORS INVOLVED IN TRIAL
AND ERROR THEORY
1) MOTIVE (OR) DRIVE FORCE :
Drive is a tension state
resulting from need. Where there is a drive
(or) motive there is a learning. In the
present experiment drive was hunger.

6. 2) STIMULUS (OR) GOAL
 It is the casual factor for activity. In the
present experiment, food is the
stimulus.
 To get the food by getting out of the
box is the goal.

7. 3) RESPONSES
 The cat makes a number of
varied types of responses
like scratching, pulling, etc.
The responses which leads
to the goal known as
satisfying response.
 The responses which do not
lead to the goal is known as
annoying responses.

8. 4)BLOCK
The cat was confined in the box with a
closed door.

9. 6)SELECTION OF PROPER
MOVEMENT
As a result of random
movements , the cat by
chance, succeeded in
opening the door.

10. 7) FIXATION
At last, the cat learned the proper way
of opening the door by eliminating all
the incorrect response and fixing only
right response. Now, the cat was able to
open the door without any error.

11. LAWS OF LEARNING
PRIMARY LAWS
1) LAW OF READYNESS :
The law states that “ when
any conduction unit is ready to conduct , for it to
conduct is satisfying. When any conduction unit
is not ready to conduct, for it to conduct is
annoying. When any conduction unit is ready to
conduct, for it not to conduct is also annoying.

12. LAW OF EFFECT
This law states that “ any behavior that
is followed by pleasant consequences
is likely to be repeated, and any
behavior followed by unpleasant
consequences is likely to be stopped”.

13. LAW OF EXERCISE
This law states that repeated
exercising of a response strengthens
its connection with the stimulus. And
connection is weakened through
failure of practice.

14. LAW OF EXERCISE
1) LAW OF USE:
With practice, the
connection is
strengthened.
1) LAW OF DISUSE:
When the practice is
discontinued, the
connection is
weakened.

15. SECONDARY LAWS
1)LAW OF MULTIPLE RESPONSE:
The law implies that
confronted with a new situation, the
organism response in a variety of ways
before arriving at the correct response.

16. LAW OF ATTITUDE
 Learning is guided by the attitude of
the organism towards the task . The
learner performs the task properly, if
he has developed a healthy attitude
towards the task.

17. LAW OF ANALOGY
An individual response to a new
situation on the basis of the responses
made by him in similar situation in the
past, that is the organism makes
responses by analogy.

18. LAWS OF ASSOCIATIVE
SHIFTING
The law states that “any response
may elicited from the learner in
associated with any situation to
which he is sensitive”.

19. Motivation is
very important
in the teaching
learning
process.
EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS

20. Learning should be
made purposeful
and goal directed.

21. Theory stresses the
importance of
mental readiness,
meaningful
practices and
intensive learning
process.
TCP PRESENTO-2020

22. SUMMARY
Trial and Error Method explains about the cat which trying to open the
door to get the food out of the cage. It tries lot times and most of the time
it gets failure at last it find out the way to open the door and ate the food.
Thus, Trial and Error Method teaches and explains about how we should
try until we find the correct solution for a problem by the Thorndike’s
Cat’s Puzzle Box Experiment.
Every problem must have a solution likewise we should also not get
worried (or) suffered for a problem in our life we should try our best to get
the solution.

23. REFERENCES
The References used are:
1) https://en.m.Wikipedia.org>wiki.
2) https://www.slideshare.net>mobile
3)www.econ2.jhu.edu>young (pdf)