Analysis Of Thorndike's Law Of Create Behavior In The Classroom

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For instance, Ritz, Noltemeyer, Davis & Green (2013) stated that teachers use verbal reprimand to identify inappropriate behaviour in the classroom, and communicate dissatisfaction with the behaviour, thus, the child will learn to refrain from inappropriate behaviours. Likewise, Thorndike’s law of effect states that behaviours that lead to discomfort are weakened and are less likely to occur again (Nevid, 2014). Thus, when the teacher uses verbal reprimand to bring to the child’s attention, that he/she is engaging in inappropriate behaviour that is unacceptable, the child may feel embarrassed or might experience discomfort. Thus, according to Thorndike, it is likely that the child’s inappropriate behaviour will be weakened, and the behaviour …show more content…

Ritz, Noltemeyer, Davis & Green (2013) stated that students performed appropriate behaviours when they were given the choice to engage in an activity or not. However, when given instructions, they were likely to engage in inappropriate behaviour. In a similar article, Kern & Clemens (2006) stated that students engaged in activities more, when they are allowed to choose. This entire strategy leans toward Thorndike’s law of readiness, which emphasizes that when a learner is prepared to act, and is allowed, it is satisfying, however, not to make him/her act is annoying (Human Growth Development and Learning, 2004). This simply means that the student will learn when he/she wants to or is prepared to. Thus, when the teachers allow the students to choose activities, the students will know what they are prepared to do and will engage in activities, however, when they are forced to engage in an activity without being prepared, the students may become annoyed which results in inappropriate …show more content…

Similar to the strategy used by the teachers in the article, the group member allowed the students in the class to choose which topics they wanted to learn each day, and sometimes the students was not allowed to choose. It was found that the students were more eager to learn, more attentive and less disruptive when they were allowed to choose the topics for the day. Thus, this experience supports Thorndike’s law of readiness, in that, the students learned and was less disruptive when they were prepared for the topic. On the other hand, they were not interested and were very disruptive when they were forced to learn a specific topic for the

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