Page 47 - Class Portfolio2019

UNIT I
PSYCHOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS OF EDUCATION

MODULE 10
Cognitive Theories of Learning:
KHOLER’S INSIGHT THEORY
GESTALT LAWS

Objectives:

At the end of this module, we can be able to:
 Know the Kholer’s experimented in his Insight theory
 Know the characteristics of insight theory
 Explain Different Gestalt laws.

Broad theory that explains thinking and differing mental processes and how they are influenced
by internal and external factors in order to produce learning individuals.

When cognitive processes are working normally then acquisition and storage of knowledge
works well, but when it’s ineffective, learning delays and difficulties can be seen.

It is an observing categorizing and forming generalization about our environment.

KHOLER’S INSIGHT THEORY

 Insight learning refers to the sudden realization of the solution of any problem without
repeated trials or continuous practices.
 This theory was first proposed by German-American psychologist, one of the founders of
Gestalt psychology Wolfgang Kohler.
 Kohler gained fame with his studies on cognitive processing involved in problem solving
in animals
 His tests in Tenerife in the 1910s with chimpanzees suggested that these animals solved
problems by understanding like human beings instead of going through trial and error
process and stimulus response association.

HOW INSIGHT LEARNING WAS EXPERIMENTED?
 Kholer placed a chimpanzee named Sultan inside a cage. Sultan grew hungry and a
bunch of bananas was placed just outside the cage.
 Sultan was provided with one long and another short bamboo stick. Neither of the sticks
could reach the banana alone and the only possible way to reach the banana was to join
the two sticks.

CHARACTERISTICS OF INSIGHT LEARNING
Two Major determining characteristics

1.) Insight represents seeing clearly into the heart or essence of a situation.
2.) We do not do this by step by step process but partially by unconscious processes.

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