kognitivisms

Kognitivism is a broad theoretical framework in psychology and education that emphasizes the role of mental processes in learning and understanding. It posits that learning is not merely a passive reception of information but an active process of constructing knowledge. Key to kognitivism is the idea that individuals organize, store, and retrieve information through internal mental structures and operations. This perspective contrasts with behaviorism, which focuses solely on observable behaviors and external stimuli.

Within kognitivism, attention, memory, perception, problem-solving, and language acquisition are central areas of study. Researchers in this field investigate how learners make sense of new information by relating it to their existing knowledge, how they develop strategies for remembering and recalling, and how they overcome obstacles in problem-solving. The development of cognitive abilities across the lifespan is also a significant concern.

Educational applications of kognitivism include teaching methods that encourage active engagement, critical thinking, and metacognition, which is the awareness and control of one's own learning processes. Understanding how individuals think and learn allows educators to design more effective instruction that supports deeper comprehension and long-term retention of material. The focus is on fostering internal mental growth rather than just external behavioral change.