FAA Fundamentals of Instructing (FOI)The Teaching Process and MethodsMedium
A flight instructor immediately tells a student, 'Great job holding centerline through that entire short-field landing,' right after the maneuver is completed successfully. This specific, positive feedback is intended to strengthen the response according to which law of learning?
- ALaw of Exercise
- BLaw of Intensity
- CLaw of Primacy
- DLaw of Effect
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Law of Effect
The Law of Effect states that responses accompanied by satisfying feelings are more likely to be repeated, while those accompanied by unpleasant feelings are less likely to recur. Immediate praise for correct performance reinforces the behavior.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Law of Exercise concerns repetition strengthening connections, not the emotional consequence.
- B. Law of Intensity concerns vivid or dramatic experiences being remembered better.
- C. Law of Primacy concerns what is taught first being learned best.
Law of Effect
A response accompanied by a satisfying feeling is more likely to be repeated; one accompanied by an unpleasant feeling is less likely to recur.
- Positive reinforcement strengthens behavior
- Negative outcomes weaken behavior
- One of Thorndike's original laws of learning
Memory trick: 'EFFECT feels good' — pleasant results make behavior repeat.