þekkingarhyggja

Þekkingarhyggja is an Icelandic term that translates to "knowledge-centrism" or "cognitivism." It refers to a philosophical and psychological perspective that emphasizes the importance of knowledge and cognitive processes in understanding human behavior, learning, and development. This approach posits that mental activities such as perception, memory, problem-solving, and reasoning are central to how individuals interact with the world.

In educational contexts, þekkingarhyggja suggests that learning is not merely a passive reception of information but an active construction of knowledge. Educators guided by this principle focus on fostering critical thinking skills, facilitating understanding of concepts rather than rote memorization, and encouraging students to develop their own strategies for acquiring and applying knowledge. The emphasis is on how individuals process, organize, and retrieve information.

This perspective contrasts with other approaches that might prioritize behavioral responses or emotional development as the primary drivers of human action. Þekkingarhyggja views these as outcomes influenced by underlying cognitive structures and the knowledge individuals possess. It has significantly shaped fields like psychology, education, and artificial intelligence, influencing how theories of learning and intelligence are developed and applied. The core idea is that understanding the mind's internal workings is key to understanding the individual.