Learning, Memory, Thinking, Language and Intelligence

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(1) What are the connections between learning, memory, thinking, language, and intelligence?

Learning is a means through which we acquire not only skills and knowledge but values, attitudes, and emotional reactions. Several definitions are proposed for learning. For example, learning is a relatively permanent change in behavior due to experience, and learning is considered as a permanent change in mental associations due to experience (Omrod, 1999). Each of these definitions refer to a change due to experiences. Different theories are presented as to what kinds of experiences cause various changes; however, the change is based on a learner's experience (e.g. vicarious learning [modeling], and social learning) due to the experiences that the learner encounters.

In the same way, throughout history researchers have used many interpretations to define intelligence. Basically, a definition for intelligence suggests having the capacity understand and learn. Other researchers offer more formal definitions and methodologies to define and measure intelligence. For example, the psychometric approach defines intelligence as measuring or quantifying factors such as verbal comprehension, memory ability, perceptual speed and reasoning. The information- processing approach defines intelligence by identifying specific mental processes to solve problems (Cohen & Swerdlik, 2005). As they point out, most of the research has been aimed at measuring intelligence that has been focused on measuring students' IQ's and their ...