Prior to engaging in this discussion, read Chapter 2: The Emergence of Cognitive Research, from your text, watch the video, TEDTalks: Peter Doolittle—How Your “Working Memory” Makes Sense of the World (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site., and the Instructor Guidance.
For this discussion, you will be considering the variables that differentiate cognitivism from behaviorism and how this area of understanding ‘how we learn,’ affects our own ability to effectively acquire new knowledge and apply to our personal and professional goals.
As you have read this week, cognitivism is a theory that addresses the mind’s contribution to how we learn. The cognitive revolution (although considered by some as an overly stated fact) is suggested to have been a response to the behaviorist movement that rejected introspection (anti-mentalism), and controversially lead to, what some consider, a dissolvement of the behaviorist movement. Consider the following questions about cognitivism and discuss each, basing your posture on this week’s readings, your past experiences, and your past knowledge.
- Why is it suggested that cognitivists disagree with the behaviorist view that learning only occurs if there is an outward manifestation? What other notable differences do these two theories suggest?
- Do you agree with the cognitivist view that learning is a change in one’s schemata? (Support with citations.)
- How have your personal schemata changed throughout your life? (Could be about learning, but also about other domains such as love, honesty, hard work, loyalty, etc.)
- List an example of a schema that has changed, in your own knowledge development. involving the field of psychology.
- Based on cognitivism, what implications does it suggest is a potential concern for effectively processing information when cognitive load is not effectually considered?
- Do you recall a time where learning was difficult because there were too many components all at once? What strategy(ies) did you use to work through this situation?