Approaches to Individual Learning & Behaviour
Cognitive Theory
Cognition refers to an individual’s thoughts, knowledge of interpretations, understandings, or ideas about himself, and his environment.
This is a process of learning through active and constructive thought processes, such as a practice or using our memory.
One example might be that you were taught how to tell time by looking at a clock.
Someone taught you the meaning of the big hand and little hand, and you might have had to practice telling the time when you were first learning it.
This process of learning was entirely inside your mind and didn’t involve any physical motions or behaviors. It was all cognitive, meaning an internal thought process.
The theory has been used to explain mental processes as they are influenced by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors, which eventually bring about learning in an individual.
Cognitive learning theory implies that the different processes concerning learning can be explained by analyzing the mental processes first.
It imagines that with effective cognitive processes, learning is easier and new information can be stored in the memory for a long time.
On the other hand, ineffective cognitive processes result in learning difficulties that can be seen anytime during the lifetime of an individual.
