Laws of Learning

THE LAWS OF LEARNING

The laws of learning below by Dr. E. L. Thorndike, F. P. Robinson and others are intended to assist in the assimilation and retention of the new positive lanes of reasoning   being acquired from the Alternative Feeling Concept.    

Law of Readiness

You have to get yourself ready to learn in order to make good progress.  Get a general view of the material, scan a document first, and see the problems and purposes to which the material might apply.  Have a regular place and a regular time for study.  Get any necessary background materials or facts.  Arrange materials in an orderly way.  Above all else, expect to profit.

You can see why many people do not learn effectively.  They may even think it is impossible to learn certain things. They think they lack ability when the real cause is not getting  themselves ready to learn.  They became confused and the subject appears to be very difficult.

If you are to teach another person, it is obvious that you need to apply the Law of Readiness.  Get the person to relax

Law of Repetition (Exercise)

We forget the way we learned.  It involved a heavy use of repetition.  We need to think, but we have to get basic things through repetition.  This applies to word definitions, numbers, recipes, formulas, names or labels and basic concepts.  

A learning handicap may be due to insufficient use of repetition.  People sometimes think they cannot learn simply because repetition has not been used properly.  Then, if we want to influence people, or explain thing to them, we have to use some amount of repetition.

Law of Evaluation (Effect)

We learn best those things that “reduce tension” or promise attainment of wants or needs.  It is very important that we define the relation of our needs to the thing we are trying to learn.  It is necessary to evaluate, to appraise the importance or usefulness of the subject, in order to understand and remember.

Sometimes our experiences put a handicap on learning because values are not properly brought out.  The saying “experience is the best teacher” is correct only when values are shown to be better or more dramatic.  People develop blind spots in learning because values have not been properly thought out.

In getting people to learn, we need to use the Law of Evaluation.  People learn better when they see the values and uses of the material or explanations.

Law of Organization

We learn best when we organize the material into a set of steps, main principles, or a skeleton outline.  We then need to think out meanings in our own words, making use of any key words or principles contained in the material.  We need to make a summary of meanings, because we cannot memorize a whole book of details except with tremendous effort.

People sometimes cannot get the knack, the skill, or the precise view because of failure to organize the material into key steps or main points.  The individual thinks, perhaps, that he is handicapped.

To teach others, or to influence them, we need to understand their organization of ideas.  We need to organize the new material in a simple way so that it fits as much as possible their point of view.  A new explanation is made to a baseball man as much as possible in terms of baseball language, etc.

Law of Selftalk

The verbal expression of positive statements to one’s self is receiving considerable attention and appears to be effective in influencing the acceptance of our thoughts.  It therefore is suggested that this technique be used to further adopt positive alternatives.