Edward L. Thorndike was an American psychologist known for his work in educational psychology and learning theory. He is best recognized for his development of the Law of Effect, which states that behaviors followed by satisfying outcomes are more likely to be repeated, while those followed by unpleasant outcomes are less likely to occur. His research laid the groundwork for behaviorism and influenced later psychologists, including B.F. Skinner. Thorndike also created the Puzzle Box experiment, where cats learned to escape from a box to receive a reward. This experiment demonstrated how animals learn through trial and error, contributing to our understanding of operant conditioning and the learning process in both animals and humans.