Which of the following is an example of Thorndike's law of effect?
A) A chicken keeps poking a bar with its beak even though it is shocked afterward.
B) A teenager's grades improve when he receives money for good grades.
C) A ball keeps rolling downhill because of the pull of gravity.
D) A cat keeps clawing the sofa despite being squirted with water every time it does this.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Thorndike's law of effect states that behaviors followed by pleasant consequences are likely to be repeated, while behaviors followed by unpleasant consequences are less likely to be repeated. In choice B, the teenager's grades improve because he receives money for good grades, which is a pleasant consequence that increases the likelihood of the behavior (studying or getting good grades) being repeated.

Which of the Following Is an Example of Thorndike's Law