Florida Fire Instructor 1 Practice Exam

What is the first of Thorndike's three primary laws of learning?

1. Law of effect

2. Law of readiness

3. Law of exercise

4. Law of association

The correct answer is: Law of effect

Thorndike's first primary law of learning is the law of effect. This law states that behaviors followed by positive consequences are more likely to be repeated, while behaviors followed by negative consequences are less likely to be repeated. This is often summarized as "rewarded behavior is more likely to be repeated, while punished behavior is less likely to be repeated." The other options, law of readiness, law of exercise, and law of association, are not considered primary laws of learning according to Thorndike's theory. The law of readiness refers to the preparedness or willingness of an individual to learn, while the law of exercise states that repeated practice strengthens learning. The law of association deals with the connection between stimuli and responses in the learning process. While these may still be important concepts in learning, they are not considered part of Thorndike's three primary laws.