In a series of studies, Thorndike put hungry cats into specially constructed cages called puzzle boxes. He placed plates of food just outside the cages where the cats could see and smell them. At the end of his studies, Thorndike concluded that the cats:
A) were able to escape quickly because of their insight and reasoning abilities.
B) were classically conditioned to fear the puzzle boxes.
C) were classically conditioned to salivate at the sight of the puzzle boxes.
D) used trial and error to escape from the puzzle boxes.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Thorndike concluded that the cats used trial and error to escape from the puzzle boxes, as they tried different movements until they stumbled upon the correct one that led to the food. This is known as the law of effect, which states that behaviors followed by satisfying outcomes are more likely to be repeated in the future, while behaviors followed by unsatisfying outcomes are less likely to be repeated. Therefore, the cats learned through trial and error to associate specific behaviors with escaping the puzzle boxes and obtaining food.

In a Series of Studies, Thorndike Put Hungry Cats into Specially