Have you ever noticed that you seem to learn best under certain conditions? For example, some students learn best from class lectures while others learn best by reading textbooks. According to learning style advocates, your unique learning style can play a role in how well you learn as well as your ability to retain and recall information.
All people have different abilities, personalities, motivations and past experiences that may impact how they learn best. Numerous theories exist to categorized and describe these different ways of learning. One of these theories is based upon the work of analytical psychologist Carl Jung. Jung's theory suggests that there are a number of psychological types based on several different personality patterns.
Jung's theory focuses on four basic psychological functions:
- Extroversion vs. Introversion
- Sensation vs. Intuition
- Thinking vs. Feeling
- Judging vs. Perceiving
You may be familiar with these personality types from the well-known Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator, which is based upon Jung's work. While Jung's theory is typically applied to personality assessment, it can also be a useful tool for understanding your unique learning style.
Remember that your learning style is not set in stone. It may change over time or based upon the learning situation that you are in. Most importantly, remember that no single theory or style can fully encompass the way you learn best. In reality, your learning style is likely a mix of many different abilities, characteristics and preferences. Learn more by reading the article on the Jungian learning styles based on Jung's personality theory and consider which combination of styles most closely describes how you learn best.
While research tends to suggest that learning styles have little correlation with student performance, the concept remains popular with both educators and students. Learn more about some of the different learning style models:
Image: Warwick Lister-Kaye/iStockPhoto
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