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You be the Professor
Helms School of Government, Liberty University
PSYC101: General Psychology
Professor Danilee Smith
February 26, 2024
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You be the Professor
Throughout my years of being a trainer at my job, I have learned that not all of us retain
information or learn the same way. Some people learn best by reading the information for
themselves, some prefer to observe someone else do it first, while others prefer to take a more
hands on approach. We use visible things like changes in performance to measure how much
someone has learned. “Strictly speaking, however, it is not the changes in behavior itself that
define learning; the changes are simply evidence that learning has occurred. Learning is what
happens to the organism because of experience” (George et al, 2023, p 157). If something is
learned the performance or behavior becomes nearly permanent. If one is struggling to learn or
obtain the information attempt a different approach. I personally lean towards following
Bandura’s social cognitive theory. Social cognitive theory is “an explanation of learning and
behavior emphasizing the role of social reinforcement and imitation as well as the importance of
the cognitive processes allowing people to imagine and to anticipate” (George et al, 2023, p
173). I agree with Bandura’s belief that we learn complex behaviors through observational
learning and imitation. I feel like this theory is a blend of both behaviorism and cognitivism.
Study Strategies
On the behaviorism side, I believe that repetition is an amazing study tool. Growing up
flashcards were a saving grace for me. Not only did it make me read the material more than one
time, I also had to remember the material to transfer it from the book to the flashcards. Once the
flashcards were made, I could go over them however many times I wanted until I felt confident
that I knew the information. I also lean towards taking notes. I take notes from both lectures and
during my reading. If I am taking notes from the reading it is generally things that I find to be of
importance. Things like key terms or specific facts. The other things I tend to note are things that
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I am struggling to understand. Sometimes slowing down to write it down clarifies the meaning
for me. When it comes to individual academic learning, I believe that repetition is key.
Multitasking
While I am completely aware that life is busy and often nonstop, especially as an adult
student. However, we must not only find but also take the time to focus exclusively on our
schoolwork. What is multitasking? “Multitasking occurs when two or more separate tasks or
mental operations are performed simultaneously” (George et al, 2023, p 176). Multitasking and
studying do not blend well. Often times it takes longer to study, yet we wind up obtaining less
information. Multitasking can often lead to cognitive overload. “Cognitive overload occurs when
excessive demands are placed on particular cognitive processes, especially attention and
memory” (George et al, 2023, p 176). Taking the time to focus solely on our studies helps to
learn and remember the information.
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References
George, S., Kelley, B., & Piferi, R. (2023). Introduction to Psychology from a Christian
Worldview. Kendall Hunt Publishing.
https://libertyonline.vitalsource.com/books/978179247215
