Insight Learning

The theory of insight learning in also called Gestalt theory of learning. It is firstly introduced by a German-American psychologist “Wolfgang Köhler.”

Wolfgang Köhler contribution to Insight Learning

Wolfgang Köhler this psychologist conduct experiments in which insight learning was observed by animal behaviour. There is one another term “Epiphany” which describes “insight learning“. A sudden revelation or abrupt awareness bringing seemingly chaotic data into summary as per Epiphanies.

Insight learning is a type of learning and problem solving through sudden understanding rather than through trial and error. Kohler had many tests on chimpanzee and other animals to check the animal’s behaviour and suggested that animals solved the problem by understanding.

In this article, we will discuss:

  • Meaning of insight learning?
  • Learning by insight & learning by trial and error.
  • Experiment on the theory of learning by insight.
  • Meaning of insight learning?

As we discuss learning by insight is a type of learning, but now a question is that when insight occur in human learning?

Insight occurs in human learning when human recognizes the relationship between subject and action. And that relationship can help them to solve new problems.

Insight learning is such as understanding how to solve difficult problems.

Many of us have a question that “What insight learning actually does?”

Insight learning helps us to find the sudden solution of any problem without practice. Later than we’ll discuss it by example for easy understanding.

A type of learning, In which one preceding past experience and also seems to contain a new way of perceiving cause-and-effect and logical relationship.

  • Learning by insight & learning by trial and error.

We learn many things in our daily life by insight but it’s also the result of our direct observation. In this learning method, we learn how to solve the current problem but without a focus on trial and error.

Trial and error need the practice to learn anything but insight learning needs a sudden awareness.

Insight learning is fitted for creative thinking, problem-solving and understanding rather than trial and error fit for language skills and motor skills.

  • Experiment on the theory of learning by insight.

Wolfgang Kohler was studying the behaviour of animals. He designed some simple experiments that led to the insight learning.

Kohler kept a chimpanzee named sultan hungry for some time and then placed him inside a cage. He hung some bananas from the outside of the cage.

And given the two sticks, every stick was too short for pulling inside the bananas however joinable to make a single stick of sufficient piece of length. Sultan tried unsuccessfully to use every stick, and he even used one stick with push the other alongside to the touch the banana. Later, seemingly after having given up, sultan accidentally joined the sticks, finally discovered the end result, and without delay ran with the longer device to retrieve the banana.

When the test was repeated in next time, Sultan joined the 2 sticks and solved the hassle at once.

Another Experiment:

Kohler hung the banana from the roof of the cage as such of the top as to make sure that sultan could not attain it even by jumping upwards. Kohler put two boxes at one place in the cage the banana was placed at an even high level. After many attempts, sultan climbed up at the box and try to reach the banana but failed to pick the banana. After many fruitless efforts, sultan placed the one box on the other, and climbed on these and reaches the bananas.

Seeing the relationship among many aspects of the problem is described as insight learning.

Also Read:  Psychoanalytic theory of Sigmund Freud

Attributes of Insight Learning

The above referred to experiments make it quite obvious that insight learning defiantly has some characteristics of its self. They are mentioned below;

  1. Insight occurs sudden.
  2. Insight alters perception.
  3. Insight changes the perception.
  4. Past experience in important in insight learning.
  5. Age, intelligence, learning situation influences insight learning.
  6. Insight learning is related to associative learning.
  7. Understanding and maturity also affect insight.
  8. If the pieces important for the solution of the puzzle are present collectively whilst perceived, perception comes approximately earlier.
  9. Insight is relative to the intellectual degree. The better kind of animals such as human beings has extra insight than the participants of lower species.
  10. Sometimes Insight learning is closely up to the organism’s capacity to learn.

11. Involves the “I have Found it” feelings- Eureka!

12. Expressed as “Aha moment”

Factors dependency on Insight Learning

  • Experience
  • Intelligence
  • Learning Situation
  • Initial Effort
  • Repetition and Generalization

Also Read: What is Hypersomnolence Disorder

I'm Alana Wade, a psychologist with over five years of experience working with relationships. I've dedicated my career to helping couples and families create lasting, meaningful connections.

One comment

  1. This article is a great way to learn more about insight learning. It explains the concept in an easy-to-understand way and provides some examples that help illustrate the idea. Thanks for sharing this valuable information!

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