The principle that behaviours followed by satisfying consequences are repeated, while those followed by unpleasant consequences are not, is:
ASkinner's law of reinforcement
BPavlov's law of association
CThorndike's law of effect
DBandura's law of modeling
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: C. Thorndike's law of effect
1. The chapter attributes this principle to Edward Thorndike, who first proposed it in 1911.
2. It states that behaviours followed by satisfying consequences are more likely to be repeated, and those followed by unpleasant consequences less likely.
3. Skinner took the law of effect as the foundation of his own experimental work on operant conditioning.
4. The chapter's illustration is employment: most people stop showing up for work once the pay stops, however much they like the job.
_Source: OpenStax Psychology (1st ed., CC BY 4.0), Ch 6 "Learning", §6.3 Operant Conditioning_
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