Cognitivism: Psychology and Instructional Design Theories
In modern Psychology, cognitivism is considered the most dominant paradigm for understanding mental function. The dramatic shift from behaviorism to cognitivism occurred in the early part of the nineteenth century. After decades of almost exclusive behaviorist research, psychologists and scholars became dissatisfied with the limitations of behaviorism. Although behaviorism encouraged observable and measurable research in the field of psychology, it did not incorporate mental events. Therefore, this term paper will present a general overview of the origin of cognitivism and a brief discussion of three major cognitive theories—The Atkinson-Shriffin Stage Model, Craik and Lockhart’s Levels of Processing Theory, and the Parallel Distributed Processing Theory. Finally, this paper will summarize ways that cognitivism has influenced Instructional Design Theories that are widely used in modern society.
The origin of cognitivism can be traced back to the early part of the nineteenth century when the Gestalt Psychologist, Edward Chace Tolman of the United States and Jean Piaget of Switzerland had a tremendous influence on psychology and the shift from behaviorist theories. Behaviorists argued that mental events were impossible to observe and measure and could not therefore be studied objectively. Consequently, behaviorists could not sufficiently explain the way learners attempted to make sense of what they learned. Cognitivists proposed that through empirical research and observation conclusions could definitely be drawn about the internal cognitive processes that produce responses. Around the 1950’s, a large number of psychologists and researchers published influential books and articles on attention, memory, language, concept formation, and problem solving. On September 11, 1956, Cognitive Psychology was officially born and considered its own field within Psychology.
Gestalt Psychology, which emerged in Germany in the early decades of the nineteenth century, proposed
The origin of cognitivism can be traced back to the early part of the nineteenth century when the Gestalt Psychologist, Edward Chace Tolman of the United States and Jean Piaget of Switzerland had a tremendous influence on psychology and the shift from behaviorist theories. Behaviorists argued that mental events were impossible to observe and measure and could not therefore be studied objectively. Consequently, behaviorists could not sufficiently explain the way learners attempted to make sense of what they learned. Cognitivists proposed that through empirical research and observation conclusions could definitely be drawn about the internal cognitive processes that produce responses. Around the 1950’s, a large number of psychologists and researchers published influential books and articles on attention, memory, language, concept formation, and problem solving. On September 11, 1956, Cognitive Psychology was officially born and considered its own field within Psychology.
Gestalt Psychology, which emerged in Germany in the early decades of the nineteenth century, proposed