Final answer:
Thorndike's research influenced the basis of research in five major areas: operant conditioning, classical conditioning, behaviorism, learning behavior, and consequences and behavior.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the early 1920s, Thorndike's research influenced the basis of research in five major areas:
- Operant conditioning: Thorndike's law of effect served as a foundation for Skinner's experiments on animals to determine how organisms learn through operant conditioning.
- Classical conditioning: Thorndike's work on conditioned reflexes paved the way for further study in classical conditioning.
- Behaviorism: Thorndike's law of effect contributed to the development of behaviorism as a psychological perspective.
- Learning behavior: Thorndike's research on learning behavior, specifically the law of effect, had a significant impact on the understanding of how behaviors are acquired and reinforced.
- Consequences and behavior: Thorndike's emphasis on the role of consequences in shaping behavior influenced the study of how consequences motivate and shape human behavior.