How We Learn: Insights from Cognitive Psychology

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Learning, an indispensable cognitive process that enables humans to adapt to changing environments and refine their behaviors, is underpinned by intricate neurological, psychological, and contextual factors that researchers have endeavored to understand for well over a century (Baddeley, 2012). While early theories of learning often revolved around behavioristic principles — focusing on observable stimuli and responses — modern cognitive psychology has illuminated the internal mental processes shaping how information is encoded, stored, and retrieved (Craik & Lockhart, 1972). This evolution in perspective underscores that learning is not merely a matter of passively absorbing facts but rather a dynamic interplay of attention, memory, motivation, and metacognitive strategies (Eysenck & Keane, 2020). As technology, educational paradigms, and workplace demands continue to evolve at a rapid pace, harnessing insights from cognitive psychology can help individuals and institutions foster more effective learning experiences, enhance retention, and optimize performance outcomes (Brown, Roediger, & McDaniel, 2014).

Nevertheless, the complexities inherent in learning processes mean that prescriptive, one-size-fits-all approaches often fail to capture the nuance required for meaningful knowledge acquisition and long-term retention (Ambrose, Bridges, DiPietro, Lovett, &…