Learning Styles and Decision Making

Learning Styles and Decision Making
Learning style is “the way in which each person absorbs and retains information and/or skills” (Dunn, 1984, p. 2). In other words, it is a way in which every person gathers, processes and analyzes information. It impacts various aspects of individual's life, such as environment in which that person learns best, topics he/she is interested in, approaches to the learning situation, and so on.
Kolb's model of learning styles is one of the most well known learning style theories. Psychologist David Kolb outlined his theory of learning styles in 1984. Later on, Kolb's theory has been adapted by management development specialists, Peter Honey and Alan Mumford who simplified it for use in practical training situation (Honey&Mumford, 2006). In this paper, Honey and Mumford's classification of learning styles will be used.
There are 4 main learning styles in Kolb's theory that correspond to the ones presented by Honey and Mumford in the following manner:
Activst = Accomodating
Reflector = Diverging
Theorist = Assimilating
Pragmatist = Converging
Most people learn by all four, but tend to have one or two predominant styles. Extroverts tend to be activist/pragmatist and introverts reflector/theorist. But all the other combinations are possible too. To be an effective learner one should be able to learn in styles that are not his/her prevalent ones. In doing so, a person will develop useful skills that will equip him/her for a career or the workplace as well as help understand his/her decisions better.
Activists tend to be open-minded, seeking challenge and immediate experience, but bored from implementation people, who are more prone to making intuitive decisions than those people who have other preva...

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...your learning style have to do with decision making process? In fact, there is a great value in understanding your learning style. By understanding your learning style, you can start seeing your strengths and weaknesses as a learner and decision maker as well as understand, predict, and improve educational achievement; improve vocational selection and sometimes placement (Clapp, 1993; Gul, 1992; Holland, 1973; Huelsman, 1983; Jacobson, 1993; Kolb, 1974; Sternberg, 1997). It is believed, however, that biases cannot be completely bypassed, and the effects of psychological factors will not disappear totally by any kind of learning. (Barberis and Thaler, 2003). But knowing your learning style and its weaknesses will help you be aware of the cognitive biases you can easily fall prey to and therefore, be more prepared.
http://www.cyberphysics.co.uk/MBTI/Honey&Mumford1.htm