Educational psychology: definition, concepts and theories

What is educational psychology and what is it for?

Psychology is the scientific study of human behavior and mental processes. There are several different sub-disciplines of psychology that focus on a particular aspect of the human psyche in order to better understand our behavior and provide tools to improve the well-being of each individual.

One of these subdisciplines is educational psychology (also called educational psychology), which focuses on learning and the most suitable educational methods for students to develop their cognitive abilities.

Educational psychology: definition and object of study

Educational psychology is a sub-discipline of psychology which is concerned with the study of the ways in which human learning takes place, especially in the context of educational institutions.. Educational psychology analyzes the ways in which we learn and teach and tries to increase the effectiveness of different educational interventions in order to optimize the process. It also tries to apply the principles and laws of social psychology to educational institutions and organizations.

In other words, the object of study of educational psychology is students' learning and the different aspects that modulate their cognitive development.

Educational psychology to improve learning

In the school context, educational psychology researches the best methods and curricula to improve the educational model and the management of schools..

Their objective being to better understand the elements and characteristics that influence learning during childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age, educational psychologists are in charge of and implement different theories on human development that help to understand the different processes that help to understand the different processes and contexts in which learning occurs.

Theories of learning

Throughout the last century, several authors proposed models and theories to explain the way in which humans relate to knowledge.. These theories have served to influence the approaches and methods used by educational psychology.

1. Jean Piaget's Theory of Learning

The Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget (1896 - 1980) has had a decisive influence on educational psychology. His theory delved into the stages that children go through in relation to their cognitive capacity, until they manage to develop abstract logical thinking at around eleven years of age. He is one of the main referents in the field of developmental psychology.

Read more about Piaget's Theory of Learning in this article:

• "Jean Piaget's Theory of Learning".

2. The Sociocultural Theory of Lev Vygostky

To what extent does culture and society influence children's cognitive development? This is the question posed by the Russian psychologist Lev Vygostky (1896 - 1934). Vygostky investigated the influence of the different social environments in which interactions take place that lead the child to assimilate and internalize certain behavioral patterns.

His concepts, such as that of "zone of proximal development"and "scaffolding learning"are still valid today.

Everything there is to know about Vygotsky's theory, in this summary:

• "Lev Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory."

3. The Social Learning Theory of Albert Bandura

Albert Bandura (born in 1925) also developed key concepts for the sociocognitivism and educational psychology. Bandura analyzed the intimate relationship between contextual and social variables with learning processes. In addition, he was the author of concepts of great interest such as the self-concept.

You can read more about his learning theory here:

• "Albert Bandura's Social Learning Theory".

Other theories and contributions

There are other theoretical constructs that have also contributed great knowledge to the field of educational psychology. For example, the theory of moral development of Lawrence Kohlberg and the child development model proposed by Rudolf Steiner.

In addition to psychologists who contributed their grain of sand to educational psychology, it is also necessary to mention other authors and figures with a decisive weight and who sowed knowledge and reflections in this subdiscipline.

Maria Montessori: a paradigm shift

For example, it is worth mentioning the case of the Italian pedagogue and psychiatrist Maria Montessoriwho succeeded in laying a completely new foundation for pedagogy at the beginning of the 20th century. Montessori removed the foundations of classical pedagogy by proposing a pedagogical method in which she presented four fundamental pillars for the education of students.

These four pillars on which any learning process is based are: the adult, the student's mind, the learning environment, and the "sensitive periods" in which the child is most receptive. when the child is most receptive to learning new knowledge or skills.

The role of educational psychologists

Educational psychologists are in charge of analyzing the diverse characteristics of each student. This awareness of individual student differences serves to try to enhance the development and learning of each student, reflected in intelligence, motivation, creativity, and communication skills.This is reflected in intelligence, motivation, creativity and communication skills, among other aspects.

One of the keys: motivation

A motivated learner is a learner who is much more receptive to acquiring new knowledge and skills.. It is for this reason that motivation is one of the favorite fields of study in educational psychology. Motivation determines the degree of interest aroused by classroom teaching, the level of involvement of the student in the tasks to be performed. Moreover, thanks to motivation, the student acquires knowledge through meaningful learning.

Motivation does not only refer to the willingness to learn in class, but also has a crucial influence on people's aspirations and goals in their lives. has a crucial influence on people's aspirations and goals in their lives..

Disorders and difficulties associated with learning

Educational psychologists also have to deal with the problems that some students have in learning at the same pace as their peers. School-age children may present specific difficulties such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or Dyslexia, which adversely affect cognitive aspects of learning. negatively affect the cognitive aspects of the learning process.. It will be necessary for the educational psychologist, in agreement with teachers, to plan a curriculum adapted to these cases, trying to minimize the academic impact of these disorders or delays.

However, educational psychologists also have a fundamental role to play when it comes to to detect and treat other problems of a non-specific nature. For example, clinical cases such as students with depression, anxiety, or any other type of affectation that requires individualized treatment and, in some cases, curricular adaptation. Other psychosocial problems such as students affected by bullying may also require the intervention of the educational psychologist.

Bibliographical references:

• Castorina, J.A. and Lenzi, A.M. (comps.) (2000). The formation of social knowledge in children. Psychological research and educational perspectives. Barcelona: Gedisa.
• Delval, J. (1994). El desarrollo humano. Madrid: Siglo Veintiuno de España Editores.
• Dunn, J. (1993). The beginnings of social understanding. Buenos Aires: Ediciones Nueva Visión.
• Kimmel, D.C. and Weiner, I.B. (1998). Adolescence: A developmental transition. Barcelona: Ariel.
• Pérez Pereira, M. (1995). New perspectives in developmental psychology. A critical historical approach. Madrid: Alianza Editorial.
• Pinker, S. (2001). The language instinct. Madrid: Alianza Editorial.