A woodchuck tries to crack a walnut shell in two different ways-with his paws and with his teeth. The latter method worked and the former did not; hence, the woodchuck will be more likely to rely on his teeth for splitting the next nut. This observation illustrates the __________.
A) discrimination principle
B) law of practice
C) law of effect
D) Premack principle

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The observation in the scenario demonstrates the Law of Effect, which states that behaviors that are followed by a positive outcome are more likely to be repeated, while behaviors that are followed by negative outcomes are less likely to be repeated. In this case, the woodchuck's success in cracking the nut with his teeth (a positive outcome) makes it more likely that he will use this method again in the future, while his failure to crack the nut with his paws (a negative outcome) makes it less likely that he will rely on this method again.

A Woodchuck Tries to Crack a Walnut Shell in Two