Axiomempiricalv1
Behaviors that produce satisfying consequences tend to be
Behaviors that produce satisfying consequences tend to be repeated.
Why This Is an Axiom
This is Thorndike's Law of Effect (1898), presented as a foundational empirical regularity about how behavior operates. It is not derived from other claims in the curriculum — it is the bedrock explanation for why any behavior persists. All subsequent claims about reinforcement, extinction, and behavioral maintenance rest on this empirical observation.
Source Lessons
L-1082
Extinction requires removing the reward
A behavior persists because it is rewarded — find and remove the reward.
L-1086
Replace rather than just remove
Provide an alternative way to meet the underlying need.
L-1085
Identify the function of the unwanted behavior
Every behavior serves a purpose — understand what need it meets before trying to eliminate it.