The Psychology of Arithmetic

by Edward L. Thorndike

3. Form the bond; do not expect it to come by a miracle.

4. Other things being equal, form no bond that will have to be broken.

5. Other things being equal, do not form two or three bonds when one will serve.

6. Other things being equal, form bonds in the way that they are required later to act.

7. Favor, therefore, the situations which life itself will offer, and the responses which life itself will demand.

---

CHAPTER V

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF DRILL IN ARITHMETIC: THE STRENGTH OF BONDS

An inventory of the bonds to be formed in learning arithmetic should be accompanied by a statement of how strong each bond is to be made and kept year by year. Since, however, the inventory itself has been presented here only in samples, the detailed statement of desired strength for each bond cannot be made. Only certain general facts will be noted here.