Laws and Theories

LAWS AND THEORIES
OF
LEARNING
Prepared by:
MARY KHRISTINE C. BARRIENTOS
LAWS AND THEORIES DEFINED
 Law is a generalized statement set after a number of observations. A

law has no explanations or exceptions when it is framed. It is an
obvious fact recorded after observations.
 Theory is the explanation of the observational data set forward in the

form of a law. In simple words, a theory is the reasoning behind the
law.
Edward Lee Thorndike (1874-1949)
 An American psychologist, one of the pioneers of educational psychology.

 He formulated three laws of learning in the early 20th century.
 These laws are universally accepted and apply to all kinds of learning:
a. the law of readiness,
b. the law of exercise,
c. the law of effect.
 Since setting down his laws, three more have been added:
a. the law of primacy,
b. the law of intensity, and
c. the law of recency.
Primary Laws of Learning
a.The Law Of Readiness
b.The Law Of Exercise
c.The Law Of Effect
I. Law Of Effect
 learning is strengthened when accompanied by a pleasant or
satisfying feeling.
 learning is weakened when associated with an unpleasant

feeling.
 learning takes places properly when it results in satisfaction and

the learner derives pleasure out of it.
I. Law Of Effect
 The class room experiences should be satisfactory and pleasant.

The teacher must enjoy his teaching work.
 Learning experiences and other activities must be meaningful and

understandable in terms of the personal life of the learners.
 School activities should be organized in increasing difficulty order

so that the students may progress without any failure.
II. The Law of Exercise
 This principle states that the S-R connection is strengthened by use and
weakened with disuse.
 It has two parts:
a. law of use and
b. law of disuse.
 Things most often repeated are best remembered.
 The instructor must repeat important items of subject matter at reasonable
intervals.
III. Law of Readiness
 This principle states that motivation is needed to develop

an association or display changes behaviour.
 Individuals learn best when they are physically, mentally,

and emotionally ready to learn, and they do not learn well
if they see no reason for learning.
Secondary Laws of Learning
a. The Law Of Primacy

b. The Law Of Intensity
c. The Law Of Recency
i. Law of Primacy
 Things learned first create a strong impression.
 What is taught must be right the first time.
 “Unteaching” wrong first impressions is harder than teaching them right

the first time.
 What the student learns must be procedurally correct and applied the
very first time.
ii. Law of Recency
 things most recently learned are best remembered.
 frequent review and summarization help fix in the mind

the material covered.
 this principle often determines the sequence of lectures

within a course of instruction.
iii. Law of Intensity
 the more intense the material taught, the more likely it will be
retained.
 a student will learn more from the real thing than from a
substitute.
 In the class room, demonstrations, skits, and role playing

increase the learning experience of students.
Theories of Learning
 Theories in education didn’t begin in earnest until the

early 20th century, but curiosity about how humans learn
dates back to the ancient Greek philosophers Socrates,
Plato and Aristotle. They explored whether knowledge and
truth could be found within oneself (rationalism) or
through external observation (empiricism).
 By the 19th century, psychologists began to answer this

question with scientific studies. The goal was to
understand objectively how people learn and then develop
teaching approaches accordingly.
 In the 20th century, the debate among educational theorists

centered on BEHAVIORIST theory versus COGNITIVE
psychology. Or, in other words, do people learn by
responding to external stimuli or by using their brains to
construct knowledge from external data?
 Today, much research, study, and debate have given rise to

the following five learning theories…
I. BEHAVIORISM
 As Simply Psychology puts it: “Behaviorism is only

concerned with observable stimulus-response behaviors,
as they can be studied in a systematic and observable
manner.”
II. COGNITIVISM
 Learning relies on both external factors (like information

or data) and the internal thought process.
III. CONSTRUCTIVISM
 The learner builds upon his or her previous experience and

understanding to “construct” a new understanding.
IV. HUMANISM
 A “learner-centric approach” in which the potential is the

focus rather than the method or materials.
V. CONNECTIVISM
 Informed by the digital age, connectivism departs from

constructivism by identifying and remediating gaps in
knowledge.

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LAWS AND THEORIES

 Law is a generalized statement set after a number of observations. A

 Theory is the explanation of the observational data set forward in the

 An American psychologist, one of the pioneers of educational psychology.

 learning is weakened when associated with an unpleasant

 learning takes places properly when it results in satisfaction and

 The class room experiences should be satisfactory and pleasant.

 Learning experiences and other activities must be meaningful and

 School activities should be organized in increasing difficulty order

 This principle states that motivation is needed to develop

 Individuals learn best when they are physically, mentally,

a. The Law Of Primacy

 Things learned first create a strong impression.

 What is taught must be right the first time.

 “Unteaching” wrong first impressions is harder than teaching them right

 things most recently learned are best remembered.

 frequent review and summarization help fix in the mind

 this principle often determines the sequence of lectures

 In the class room, demonstrations, skits, and role playing

 Theories in education didn’t begin in earnest until the

 By the 19th century, psychologists began to answer this

 In the 20th century, the debate among educational theorists

 Today, much research, study, and debate have given rise to

 As Simply Psychology puts it: “Behaviorism is only

 Learning relies on both external factors (like information

 The learner builds upon his or her previous experience and

 A “learner-centric approach” in which the potential is the

 Informed by the digital age, connectivism departs from

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