Lecture Notes on Thorndike's Stimulus Response Theory

Introduction to Decision Making in Psychology

• Psychologists have explored how we make decisions.
• Theories have evolved over time, but historical lessons remain significant.

Edward Thorndike's Stimulus Response Theory

• Proposed Theory: Learning is based on the relationship between stimulus and response.
• Key Concept: Stronger relationship leads to a more likely response when the stimulus is presented.

Pavlov's Experiment

• Stimulus: Food.
• Response: Salivation.
• This experiment is foundational evidence for stimulus response theory.

Behaviorism

• Theories explain human behavior through stimulus and response.
• Despite its historical importance, behaviorism is not the forefront of modern psychology.

Thorndike's Three Laws of Learning

1. Law of Effect

   • Satisfying responses to stimuli are likely to be repeated.
   • Unsatisfying responses are likely to be avoided.
   • Example: Cats pulling levers for food.

2. Law of Exercise

   • Frequent connections between stimulus and response strengthen them.
   • Later modified: Unsatisfying responses do not necessarily weaken the connection.

3. Law of Readiness

   • Strength of stimulus-response connection depends on the subject's readiness and interest.
   • More eager subjects connect stimulus and response more strongly.

Influence of Thorndike's Work

• Laid groundwork for later behaviorists: B.F. Skinner, Edwin Guthrie, Ivan Pavlov.
• Guthrie's Contiguity Theory: Connections are formed if responses occur immediately after a stimulus.
• Hull's Drive Reduction Theory: Explains behavior based on drive states (hunger, comfort, safety).
  • Reducing drive leads to more likely responses to stimuli.

Pavlov's Classical Conditioning

• Neutral stimuli can become associated with responses through conditioning.
• A neutral stimulus can elicit a response once connected to an existing stimulus.

Criticism of Behaviorism

• Deterministic nature questioned: Is human behavior more complex?
• Emergence of schools of thought: Humanism, positive psychology, cognitive psychology.
• Importance of combining knowledge of behaviorism with modern psychological theories.

Conclusion

• Despite criticisms, behaviorism and stimulus response theory laid the foundation for current understanding in psychology.
• Continuous evolution of psychology reflects the complexity of human behavior and decision making.