Social Psychology of the Learning Environment - Essay Example

?SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY OF THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT Introduction When social psychology is being linked with the learning environment, teacher relationship is often given high regard. Social psychology as defined by Mashek and Hammer (2011, p. 1) is the study of how individuals are influenced by other people and the situations they find themselves into. Conversely, according to Fiske et al. (2010, p. 864), the science of social psychology is predicated on the simple fact that human thought, emotion and behaviour are immensely affected by the real, implied and imagined presence of people. Moreover, there are times that individuals’ thoughts, feelings and actions are influenced when they simply think about other persons, speculate about their objectives, visualize their reactions, or even fantasize about them, and a great deal of attention has been paid to how people respond when they think about other individuals (Fiske et al., 2010). However, social psychology is concerned mainly with how individuals are influenced and affected by those people whom they relate with as stressed by Fiske et al. (2010). This paper endeavours to explore social psychology in the learning environment including all the concepts typically associated with the topic. It also deems to explore a variety of theories pertaining to social psychology and its application and impact to the learning environment. The Focus of Social Psychology Social psychology is said to concentrate at three varied levels of analysis. According to Mashek and Hammer (2011), the three stages of analysis are individual processes, interpersonal processes and group processes. Individual processes are employed when regarding phenomena such as impression formation, attitudes and persuasion (Mashek & Hammer, 2011). Subsequently, interpersonal processes form the groundwork for romantic relationships, friendships and helping behaviours (Mashek & Hammer, 2011). Lastly, group processes are taken into consideration when studying conformity, group decision making and jury behaviour (Mashek & Hammer, 2011). The aforementioned levels of analysis provide the foundation of social psychology as well as the diverse kinds of influence that social methods can take (Mashek & Hammer, 2011). In the classroom setting, the previously cited levels of analysis can be utilized to understand erudition and instruction. For instance, interpersonal processed are apparent in the teacher-pupil relationship which may have an impact on learning. Furthermore, the learning environment also employs the use of group processes which aids in facilitating learning. Learning Learning mechanisms provide means through which information about chronic developmental environments are acquired (Fiske et al., 2010). Moreover, it provides strategies through which organisms obtain information about temporary contexts, hence giving them the means to resourcefully modify behavioural responses (Fiske et al., 2010). Affiliation Affiliation as defined by Fiske et al. (2010) is the act of associating or interacting with one or a variety of individuals. The concept of affiliation bears no indication of the quality, affective tone, or length of the social encounter or the nature of the relationship between the people (Fiske et al., 2010). As Fiske et al. (2010) describes it, when people want to affiliate, they only wish to be in the company of and to relate with others. Hence, many theorists supposed that relating with and being in the company of other persons is an essential social behaviour (Fiske et al., 2010). Having an affiliation is crucial in learning because such relationships may greatly contribute to the learning process of a specific individual for the reason that their experience of interacting with other individuals may teach them a variety of new things and to help them explore a wide array of concepts that may be unique to them. Tutor-learner Relationship The tutor-learner relationship can be effective if it imbibes a positive and caring development of the space or time, interpersonal and cross-cultural context as highlighted by Allen (2004). This can be initiated by instilling the philosophy that both learners and tutors had to interrogate their assumptions and presumptions of the perceived other and work to establish an honest and open relationship where mutual sensitivities will not be ignored or trampled (Allen, 2004). Tutors like learners must learn from practice but significantly they must also gain knowledge from action research that must be soundly based upon relevant theory and upon grounded and proven practice (Allen, 2004). The tutor can also learn from the learner and the pupil. Moreover, the tutor must value every experience shared by the learner even if it may still be incomplete or diminished for such experience is considered significant by the learner. Theories and its Application There are wide arrays of theories on social psychology that serves as a guide in its application to the learning process. This paper aims to tackle each of the typical theories that serve as the groundwork by instructors in facilitating learning. Maslow's Theory on Human Motivation Motivation comes from the Latin word “movere” which means to set into motion; it has been defined as a psychological force that prompts an individual toward some kind of action (Bastable, 2011). Moreover, this term has also been depicted as the willingness of the learner to embrace learning, with eagerness as proof of motivation (Bastable, 2011). In addition, motivation is also said to be the outcome of not only external elements but also influenced by internal elements as reiterated by Bastable (2011). Inherent in motivation is a motion in the tendency of fulfilling a need or toward achieving an endeavour (Bastable, 2011). Maslow is a well-known theorist who endeavoured to unify the large body of research associated to human motivation by defining a hierarchy of human necessities (Merrick & Maher, 2009). According to the theory of Maslow, human needs are divided into two groups: deficiency needs and deficiency motivation, and growth needs and growth motivation (Pirnahad, 2006). The first group encompass physiological, physical or survival needs; safety needs; belongingness and love needs; and esteem needs (Pirnahad, 2006). Conversely, the second group consists of need for self-actualisation; desire to know and understand or the cognitive impulse; and aesthetic needs such as harmony in life and an inspiring surrounding atmosphere (Pirnahad, 2006). He supposed that the most fundamental human needs are physiological needs such as hunger and thirst; subsequently, the next need to be fulfilled is freedom from danger (Merrick & Maher, 2009). When both physiological and safety needs are met, the needs emerge to love and to be loved thus to belong (Merrick & Maher, 2009). If needs for love and friendship are gratified the need for the admiration and respect of others arises; as a result of the fulfilment of all the lower level needs, the higher stages of necessities becomes the focus (Merrick & Maher, 2009). The first of these needs is the cognitive need to know, understand and explore; furthermore, when such needs are met, the aesthetic need arises for symmetry, order and beauty (Merrick & Maher, 2009). Lastly, an individual will seek self-actualisation, the need to find self-fulfilment and self-transcendence, the need to connect to something beyond the ego or to help others find self-fulfilment; such layered motivational hierarchy has the potential to provide a means of eliciting subsumption within a behavioural hierarchy (Merrick & Maher, 2009). This theory of Maslow is really evident for it is a proof of the saying that “one cannot give what he does not have”, for a person must first meet his basic needs first before attending to the higher level of needs. For example, it will be difficult for an individual to stay focused on what he or she needs to learn when his or her stomach is growling, he must then attend to the sensation of hunger he or she is feeling before he or she can stay concentrated to the lesson. Gagne's Learning Theory Robert Gagne is a psychologist who was the foremost researcher and contributor to the systematic approach to instructional design and training (Clark, 2008). He deemed that instruction should be created to encompass a wide array of instructional strategies to meet the needs of a variety of learners (Clark, 2008). Gagne is then regarded as a behaviourist for the reason that his concentration was on the results or behaviours that result from training (Clark, 2008). The four outcomes of learning according to Gagne include: verbal information, intellectual skills, cognitive strategies and motor skills (Clark, 2008). Gagne's approach concentrates on the phases or processes that learners undergo while learning meaningful material, and on the circumstances that facilitate each phase, as a means of understanding the learning process, the different outcomes of learning as previously mentioned, that is, the particular competencies to be gained as a result of learning and the events that must transpire in order for learning to continue with success (Tuckman & Monetti, 2011). Gagne's model provides instructors with the framework for identifying the conditions most conducive to learning and that should therefore be imparted through instruction (Tuckman & Monetti, 2011). Tuckman and Monetti (2011) highlighted that Gagne's learning model is categorized into three parts: conditions before learning, conditions during learning and the outcomes after learning. The conditions during learning is the most critical phase which consists of the eight parts or processes of learning that illustrate the internal conditions necessary for the learner to gain new skills and the nine instructional events that exhibit the external conditions or environmental events essential to support the learning process (Tuckman & Monetti, 2011). Gagne stressed that for learning to commence, a stimulus must be received, and such reception requires that the learner pay attention to or concentrate on the stimulus (Tuckman & Monetti, 2011). Hence, if the student does not focus on what he or she is being instructed, the student will only learn little compared with those who pay full attention (Tuckman & Monetti, 2011). Furthermore, in the theory of Gagne, it was reiterated that instructors could get the attention of his or her students by altering the intensity of his or her voice, waving her arms or like hailing; however, the teacher could effectively get the attention of his or her pupil by giving students verbal directions, which will serve as a guide on what exactly should they do to learn (Tuckman & Monetti, 2011). Moreover, constant efforts of the instructor must also be facilitated so as to successfully continue learning (Tuckman & Monetti, 2011). What Gagne has stated in is theory can be beneficial to instructors for it gives them an overview and the techniques of how to get the attention of their students so as to facilitate the learning process. It is imperative that an instructor consider the different situations that may either accelerate or impede the learning process so that they will know what would be an effective approach toward their students. Ausubel's Theory of Cognitive Subsumption/Assimilation Learning Theory One of the important contributors in the learning process is David Ausubel. David Ausubel is a psychologist who formulated a theory which contrasted meaningful learning from rote learning (Mohan, 2007). In Ausubel's perspective, to learn meaningfully, students must relate new knowledge such as concepts and propositions to what they already know (Mohan, 2007; Novak, 2010). Ausubel's theory concentrated with how individuals learn huge amounts of meaningful material from verbal material in a school setting (Mohan, 2007). Ausubel gave emphasis that learning is grounded upon the varied types of processes that happen during the reception of information (Mohan, 2007). An essential process in learning is subsumption in which new material is associated to relevant ideas in the existing cognitive structure (Mohan, 2007). It was reiterated that once a student was able to acquire an array of stable ideas and generalisations, he or she may be able to link this new knowledge to what he or she already knows (Mohan, 2007). Hence, it may be stated that cognitive structures came about as a result of learning experiences (Mohan, 2007). Ausubel was right in saying that cognitive structures are a result of learning experiences. It is apparent that people usually learn from what they had undergone or from what they had experienced for the lessons they encounter here are usually instilled in their mind and hearts since they were able to experience it personally. Bandura's Social Learning Theories Social learning theories depicted by Albert Bandura, emerged out of the behaviour and learning tradition as emphasized by Engler (2009). Albert Bandura considered respondent conditioning and operant conditioning to be theories of performance, not theories of learning (Smart, 2012). In Bandura's concept of reflective self-consciousness, which is the capability to think or reflect on behaviour and learn from others, human beings have the capacity to monitor their own behaviour (Smart, 2012). In his theory, Bandura did not consider the environment to be the main determinant of human learning rather he proposed that behaviour is learned (Smart, 2012). Moreover, Bandura deemed that humans are the products of learning and that biology plays only a small role (Smart, 2012). The elements of Bandura's theory encompass the following: consideration of internally driven motivations, observational learning, vicarious reinforcement and modelling and imitation (Smart, 2012). Bandura is then regarded as a humanist theorist or a moderate behaviourist for the reason that he believed that humans were both versatile and resilient and that they must develop their fundamental abilities over an extended period, and they continue to master new competencies to meet changing demands throughout their lifespan (Smart, 2012). This theory of Albert Bandura provides an optimistic view for the reason that it states than humans strive to learn to be able to develop their full potential. This line of thinking can be imbibed in the settings of instruction for it inculcates a sense of positive erudition in which the instructors become instruments for their students in achieving their full human potential. For instance, in learning a particular lesson to his or her students, the instructor usually has a time frame when that lesson should be completed. The time allotted is usually presented in a lesson plan so that there will be a guide for what should be accomplished at a certain period. Knowing the time needed to complete a specific lesson gives the student a guide on what they should expect and what they should focus on to be able to keep pace with their lesson at the classroom. Humanist Theories Humanist theories emerged as a result of the resistance to the structured, objective and scientific approach of positivism, which assumes stability, the overall applicability of scientific laws and universally acceptable values (Wilson, 2005). On the contrary, but evidently associated, there was the emergence of a changing world, with instability, intricacy, vagueness and an array and variety of values (Wilson, 2005). In this set of theories, it deemed that the teacher is not only the source of learning; instead, it highlighted the active nature of the learner (Wilson, 2005). It is remarkable that a theory like what was previously mentioned was developed because it opposes the passive focus of learning, which states that the instructor is the only source of learning. Learning takes place efficiently and effectively when a mutual and participative process between the instructor and the students transpires for what was learned during the experience is easily instilled in the minds and hearts of the pupils unlike in a setting wherein the instructor frequently spoon-feeds his or her pupils with information; they are often bombarded with lots of information without being given the opportunity to apply what they have learned, hence they easily forget it. The Importance of Self according to Carl Rogers Carl Rogers is an American psychologist who believed that each individual possesses an inner drive that leads them to strive toward self-actualisation, which means realizing one's own unique potential (Nevid, 2009). Rogers believed that the self is the centre of the human experience; furthermore, he reiterated that the self is the executive part of one's personality that organizes how one person relates to the world (Nevid, 2009). This theory emphasizes that each individual has his or her own likes and dislikes, expectations and impressions about a variety of things surrounding him or her (Nevid, 2009). The aforementioned theory is beneficial in facilitating learning for it focuses on the self. It is crucial that an instructor recognizes that each of his or her students differ from each other. This kind of thinking makes an instructor to personalize his teaching strategies which will be applicable to each pupil. Moreover, this encourages the instructor to recognize the personal qualities of his or her pupils and what he or she should focus on in helping his or her students learn. Conclusion The learning process is indeed vital in acquiring knowledge. What an individual learns may be significant in how he or she faces reality and the world. Knowing the varied teaching strategies is also essential not only for the students but more importantly for the instructors for they are the catalysts of learning, these theories which were previously explored and tackled is crucial in determining what should be the approach of a teacher to his or her pupils considering the fact that every individual is different from the other. Furthermore, learning also serves as the means on how a person could maximize and develop his or her potential which in turn will be the stepping stone on becoming a better person inside out. Bibliography Allen, R.O. (2004) Fighting to Finish: Personal Storytelling in a Public Library Adult Literacy Program. United States of America: iUniverse Inc. Barnow, R. (2007) Action Based Communication: Changing Experience through Language. United States of America: AuthorHouse. Bastable, S.B. (2011) Health Professional as Educator: Principles of Teaching and Learning. United States of America: Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC. Chance, P. (2009) Learning and Behaviour: Active Learning Edition. United States of America: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning. Clark, C.C. (2008) Classroom Skills for Nurse Educators. United States of America: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Inc. Coon, D. & Mitterer, J.O. (2010) Introduction to Psychology: Gateways of Mind and Behaviour. United States of America: Cengage Learning. Corner, R. & Gould, E. (2011) Psychology Around Us. United States of America: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Dee Fink, L. (2003) Creating Significant Learning Experiences: An Integrated Approach to Designing College Courses. United States of America: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Engler, B. (2009) Personality Theories: An Introduction. United States of America: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Fiske, S.T., Gilbert, D.T. & Lindzey, G. (2010) Handbook of Social Psychology. United States of America: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Illeris, K. (2007) How We Learn: Learning and Non-learning in school and beyond. United States of America: Routledge. Kallendorf, C.W. (2002) Human Educational Treatises. United States of America: Harvard College. Kvalsund, R. (2003) Growth as Self-Actualisation: A Critical Approach to the Organismic Metaphor. [n.p.]: Tapir Akademisk Forlag. Mashek, D. & Hammer, E.Y. (2011) Empirical Research in Teaching and Learning: Contributions from Social Psychology. United Kingdom, Blackwell Publishing Ltd. Merrick, K.E. & Maher, M.E. (2009) Motivated Reinforcement Learning: Curious Characters for Multi-user Games. New York: Springer-Verlag. Mohan, R. (2007) Innovative Science Teaching: for Physical Science Teachers. India: Prentice Hall. Nevid, J.S. (2009) Psychology: Concepts and Applications. United States of America: Houghton Mifflin Company. Novak, J.D. (2010) Learning, Creating and Using Knowledge: Concept Maps as Facilitative Tools in Schools and Corporation. New York: Routledge. Pastorino, E. & Doyle-Portillo, S. (2012) What is Psychology? United States of America: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Pirnahad, K. (2006) The Phantom of the New Ages: Inspirational Humanism. United States of America: iUniverse Inc. Rathus, S.A. & Nevid, J.S. (2010) Psychology and the Challenges of Life. United States of America: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.\ Smart, J. (2012) Disability across the Developmental Life Span: For the Rehabilitation Counselor. United States of America: Springer Publishing Company, LLC. Smith, E.R. & Mackie, D.M. (2000) Social Psychology. United States of America: Taylor & Francis. Tuckman, B.W. & Monetti, D.V. (2011) Educational Psychology. United States of America: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning. Wilson, J.P. (2005) Human Resource Development: Learning and Training for Individuals and Organizations. London: Bell & Bain. Read More