Experiential Learning Styles and Neurocognitive Phenomics

Abstract

Phenomics is concerned with detailed description of all aspects of organisms, from their physical foundations at genetic, molecular and cellular level, to behavioural and psychological traits. Neuropsychiatric phenomics, endorsed by NIMH, provides such broad perspective to understand mental disorders. It is clear that learning sciences also need similar approach that will integrate efforts to understand cognitive processes from the perspective of the brain development, in temporal, spatial, psychological and social aspects. The brain is a substrate shaped by genetic, epigenetic, cellular and environmental factors including education, individual experiences and personal history, culture, social milieu. Learning sciences should thus be based on the foundation of neurocognitive phenomics. A brief review of selected aspects of such approach is presented, outlining new research directions. Central, peripheral and motor processes in the brain are linked to David Kolb inventory of the learning styles. Even with such simplified model based on connectome for 3 regions 84 brain states may be distinguished. Transitions between such states are quite likely, so it is not clear that human behavior, including learning styles, can be clustered into a small number of meaningful types.

Imagery Agnosia and its Phenomenology

“…This observation supports the parietal-frontal theory of intelligence (Colom et al, 2010) and points to a higher probability of imagery agnosia prevalence in creative people working in abstract domains. It also agrees with the simplified model of the experiential learning styles based on information flow in the brain (Duch, 2020). Activation of sensory cortices during abstract reasoning may not contribute to efficient problem-solving and may be a waste of brain energy.…”