According to the law of effect, which circumstance would lead to a weakening of the association between stimulus and response?
A) giving candy to a whining child
B) grounding a teenager for staying out too late
C) giving a child $1 for doing well on a spelling test
D) taking a painkiller to get rid of a headache

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The law of effect, proposed by Edward Thorndike, suggests that behaviors followed by pleasant consequences are likely to be repeated, while those followed by unpleasant consequences are less likely to be repeated. Grounding a teenager for staying out too late (B) is an example of an unpleasant consequence following a behavior, which according to the law of effect, would lead to a weakening of the association between the stimulus (staying out late) and the response (the behavior of going out). Choices A, C, and D involve providing a reward after a behavior, which would strengthen the association between the stimulus and response, not weaken it.

According to the Law of Effect, Which Circumstance Would Lead