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2

Understanding Learning and Memory

You are reading this book because

you want to become a more suc-

cessful learner. Before I explain

how to use effective learning

strategies, it is important to under-

stand how humans learn. It is dif-

ficult to understand why you

should give up certain learning and

study skills and replace them with

new skills without the knowledge

presented in this chapter. Also,

once you acquire important knowl-

edge concerning human learning,

you can better evaluate your own

learning processes. This chapter

describes how information is

received and processed in the mind

and how memory and forgetting

occur. After studying this chapter,

you will be able to:

• Identify the flaws in human
  memory.


• Identify how the information-
  processing system (IPS)
  operates.


• Explain why it is important
  to use a variety of learning
  strategies to learn different
  material.


• Assess the effectiveness of
  your own learning and study
  strategies.

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