Edward Thorndike's Contribution to Psychology

18/01/2023, 02:02 Edward Thorndike's Contribution to Psychology
HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHIES
Edward Thorndike's Contribution to

the Field of Psychology
By Kendra Cherry Updated on November 26, 2020
Fact checked by Emily Swaim
Bettmann Archive / Getty Images
Table of Contents
Best Known For
Birth and Death
Early Life
Work and Theories
https://www.verywellmind.com/edward-thorndike-biography-1874-1949-2795525 1/10
Contributions to Psychology
VIEW ALL
Edward Thorndike was an influential psychologist who is often referred to

as the founder of modern educational psychology. He was perhaps best-
known for his famous puzzle box experiments with cats which led to the
development of his law of effect.
Thorndike's principle suggests that responses immediately followed by

satisfaction will be more likely to recur. The law of effect also suggests
that behaviors followed by dissatisfaction or discomfort will become less
likely to occur.
Best Known For

The Law of Effect
Often called the father of modern educational psychology
Animal research
Trial-and-error theory of learning
Birth and Death

Edward Lee Thorndike was born on August 31, 1874 in Williamsburg,
Massachusetts.
He died on August 9, 1949.
Early Life
Edward Thorndike was the son of a Methodist minister and grew up in
Massachusetts. While he was a very successful student, he initially
disliked his first psychology course. Like many other psychologists of his
time, Thorndike's interest in psychology grew after reading the classic
book "The Principles of Psychology" by William James.
When he graduated from Wesleyan University in 1895 with a Bachelor of

Science degree, Thorndike then enrolled at Harvard University to study
English and French literature. During his first semester, however, he took
a psychology course taught by William James and soon decided to switch
his study concentration to psychology. He later moved on to Columbia
University where he studied under the guidance of psychologist James

McKeen Cattell.
After earning his PhD from Columbia in 1898, Thorndike briefly took a
position as an Assistant Professor of Pedagogy at Case Western Reserve
University. In the year 1900, Thorndike married Elizabeth Moulton. He
then took a job as a psychology professor at the Teachers College at
Columbia University where he would continue to teach for the rest of his
career.
Work and Theories

Thorndike is perhaps best-known for the theory he called the law of
effect, which emerged from his research on how cats learn to escape from
puzzle boxes.
According to Thorndike's law of effect, responses that are

immediately followed by a satisfactory outcome become more
strongly associated with the situation and are therefore more likely to
occur again in the future. Conversely, responses followed by negative
outcomes become more weakly associated and less likely to reoccur in
the future.
As you might imagine, this principle had a strong influence on the

development of the behavioral school of thought. B.F. Skinner's operant
conditioning process relies on this principle, as behaviors followed by
desirable outcomes are strengthened while those followed by undesirable
outcomes are weakened.
Contributions to Psychology
Through his work and theories, Thorndike became strongly associated
with the American school of thought known as functionalism. Other
prominent functionalist thinkers included Harvey Carr, James Rowland
Angell, and John Dewey.
Thorndike is also often referred to as the father of modern-day
educational psychology and published several books on the subject.
Thorndike was elected president of the American Psychological

Association in 1912 and became one of the very first psychologists to be
admitted to the National Academy of Sciences in 1917. Today, Thorndike is
perhaps best remembered for his famous animal experiments and for the
law of effect.
Selected Publications
Introduction to the Theory of Mental and Social Measurements (1904)
The Elements of Psychology (1905)
Animal Intelligence (1911)
Educational Psychology (1913)
The Measurement of Intelligence (1926)
The Fundamentals of Learning (1932)
Sources
By Kendra Cherry
Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author and educational consultant focused
on helping students learn about psychology.
See Our Editorial Process
Meet Our Review Board
Share Feedback
Related Articles

The Origins of Psychology

Fact checked by Adah Chung

Carl Rogers Psychologist Biography
Wilhelm Wundt Biography

BASICS
What Is Educational Psychology?
Medically reviewed by Amy Morin, LCSW, Editor-in-Chief
THEORIES
What Is Behaviorism?
Medically reviewed by David Susman, PhD

The Influence of Philip Zimbardo on Psychology
Fact checked by Cara Lustik
Biography of Psychologist G. Stanley Hall


Jean Piaget Biography (1896-1980)
BASICS
A Historical Timeline of Modern Psychology

Pictures of Famous Psychologists
B. F. Skinner's Life, Theories, and Influence on Psychology

Fact checked by Amanda Tust

Phineas Gage: His Accident and Impact on Psychology
THEORIES
The Schachter-Singer Two-Factor Theory of Emotion
THEORIES
Kohlberg's Theory of Moral Development

Medically reviewed by David Susman, PhD
BASICS
Major Perspectives in Modern Psychology

Major Schools of Thought in Psychology
Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD
Daily Tips for a Healthy Mind to Your Inbox
Enter your email SIGN UP
Follow Us
Mental Health A-Z

Self-Improvement
Psychology
News
Voices
The Verywell Mind Podcast
Meet Our Review Board About Us
Editorial Process Diversity Pledge
Privacy Policy In the News
Advertise Terms of Use
Careers Contact
Crisis Support
Verywell Mind's content is for informational and educational purposes only. Our website is not
intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Ⓒ 2023 Dotdash Media, Inc. — All rights reserved
Verywell Mind is part of the Dotdash Meredith publishing family.

Edward Thorndike's Contribution to Psychology

Uploaded by

Document Informationclick to expand document information

Document Informationclick to expand document information

Copyright:

Available Formats

Edward Thorndike's Contribution to Psychology

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Edward Thorndike's Contribution to Psychology

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

18/01/2023, 02:02 Edward Thorndike's Contribution to Psychology

HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHIES