A young child is hungry and wants a cookie but is too short to reach the table where the cookie jar is kept. She tries various things to get the jar, such as jumping or throwing her teddy bear at the jar in hopes of knocking it off the table, but to no avail. Eventually, almost by accident, she realizes that she can pull the tablecloth on which the jar sits and is thus able to reach the jar. In the future, she will be more likely to try this technique again since it was effective. This example best demonstrates
A)Thorndike's law of effect
B)the principles of classical conditioning
C)the concept of shaping
D)the use of partial reinforcement

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Thorndike's law of effect explains that behaviors followed by satisfying consequences are more likely to be repeated in the future, as demonstrated by the child's successful attempt to get the cookie by pulling the tablecloth.

A Young Child Is Hungry and Wants a Cookie but Is