Jerome Bruner

Jerome Bruner (1915 - ) had a great effect upon cognitivelearning theory. Based upon the idea of catagorization, Bruner's theory states"To perceive is to categorize, to conceptualize is to categorize, to learnis to form categories, to make decisions is to categorize." He maintainedthat people interpret the world in terms of its similarities and differences andsuggested a coding system in which people have a heirarchial arrangement ofrelated categories. Each successively higher level of categories becomes morespecific.

Bruner maintained that people interpret the world in terms of similaritiesand differences which are detected among objects and events. Objects that areviewed as similar are placed in the same category. The major variable in histheory of learning is the coding system into which the learner organizes thesecategories. The act of categorizing is assumed to be involved in informationprocessing and decision making.

Bruner's theory of cognitive learning theory emphasizes the formation ofthese coding systems He believed that the systems facilitate transfer, enhanceretention and increase problem solving and motivation. He advocated thediscovery oriented learning methods in schools which he believed helped studentsdiscover the relationships between categories.