Glossary L

Law of compound association a term according to Bain, contiguous or similar events form compound ideas and are remembered together. If one or a few elements of the compound idea are experienced, they may elicit the memory of the entire compound.

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Law of constructive association is a term according to Bain, the mind can rearrange the memories of various experiences so that the creative associations formed are different from the experiences that gave rise to the associations.

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Law of contiguity refers to Guthrie's one law of learning, which states that when a pattern of stimuli is experienced along with a response, the two (2) become associated. In 1959 Guthrie revised the Law of contiguity to read, "What is being noticed becomes a signal for what is being done". Law of contiguity, moreover is a law of association holding that events that occur in close proximity to each other in time or space are readily associated with each other; a thought of something will tend to cause thoughts of things that are usually experienced along with it. It is the tendency for events that are experienced together to be remembered together.

Law of continuity refers to Leibniz's contention that there are no major gaps or leaps in nature. Rather, all differences in nature are characterized by small gradations.

Law of contrast refers to a thought of something will tend to cause thoughts of opposite things. Law of contrast also refers to a law of association holding that events that are opposite from each other are readily associated.

Law of disuse refers to Thorndike's contention that infrequently used associations become weak. In 1929, Thorndike discarded this Law of disuse.

Law of Effect refers to Edward Lee Thorndike's effect of rewards or punishments on behavior.

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Law of effect is defined as a principle of learning that maintains that behavior is guided by its previous consequences. Behaviors that have met with prior reinforcement persist, and those that have not perish.