Thorndike's Law of Effect

Thorndike's Law of Effect states that behaviors followed by satisfying outcomes are more likely to be repeated, while those followed by unpleasant outcomes are less likely to occur again. Essentially, when an action results in a positive result, it strengthens the likelihood of that behavior happening in the future. Conversely, negative consequences weaken the behavior’s chance of recurrence. This principle helps explain how animals and humans learn through trial and error, as they tend to repeat actions that lead to rewards and avoid those that lead to discomfort.