Understanding Counselling: The Role of the Learning Theory Model

This essay provides a detailed overview of the learning theory model and its application in counselling. It begins by defining the learning theory model as a framework for understanding how students absorb, process, and retain knowledge, emphasizing the roles of cognitive, environmental, and emotional influences. The essay traces the history of the theory to John B. Watson and behaviorism, highlighting key concepts such as classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and social learning theory. It discusses assessment methods for evaluating student learning, including questionnaires, early learning scales, and formative/summative assessments. Furthermore, the essay addresses the diagnosis of learning disabilities like APD, Dyscalculia, Dyslexia, and ADHD, and the use of tools like informal interviews and brain imaging techniques. Finally, it explores the counselling process, emphasizing the importance of insightful learning and applying the learning theory model to address client issues such as lack of information, interpersonal conflict, and cultural self-conflict, recommending methods like motivational interviewing and school-based counselling. The essay concludes by suggesting that engaging clients in constructive problem-solving activities enhances their ability to deal with problems effectively.

Running head: COUNSELLING
COUNSELLING
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

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Summary
Description:
The learning theory model is defined as a theory that suggested the process of how
students absorb the knowledge, process the knowledge and retain knowledge during learning. In
this case, cognitive, environmental and emotional influences along with previous experiences
play a crucial part in providing the idea that how understanding, is acquired or changed and
knowledge is retained (Kruglanski et al., 2018). While client learning is important to effective
therapy, comparatively little researchers have been conducted to relate learning theory to the
counseling process. Considering the history of the learning theory model, John B. Watson
(1925). An American behaviorist proposed the learning theory and he dominated the academic
understanding of learning for approximately 60 years (Moore, 2017). Behaviorist considers
learning as a perspective or part of conditioning and it is acting as a supporter of a system of
rewards and targets in education. Hence, a learner’s ability to learn certain things or gather
energy strongly depending on what they already have known and understand. These various
fundamental bases of the theory are that represent this theory.
Fundamental bases:
The methodological behaviorism is based on the theory of only enlightening public
events or apparent behavior. B.F. Skinner presented an additional type of behaviorism called
radical behaviorism, hence, three fundamental bases of the theory include Classical conditioning,
Social learning theory, Operant conditioning. Pavlov's Classical Conditioning provides a
physical logical explanation of behavior where the cerebral cortex is the center of these
behaviors. In this conditioning, reinforcement was associated with the stimulus (Zhang et al.,

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2019). In this case, students will absorb and retain knowledge only when it is associated with
reinforcement. Skinner's Operant Conditioning distinguished between two types of learning such
as respondents which are based on stimulate and operant which is based on the organism
(Pavlov, 2018). This theory provides us the method of altering behaviors by reinforcement of
appropriate response. Bandura’s socio-cognitive theory suggested that the knowledge and skills
of individuals are acquired through observing the individuals present within the immediate or
social environment. These three conditioning theories help individuals to gather an
understanding of the learning process of the students (Font, Garay & Jones, 2016).
Assessment method:
The assessment method of the learning of the students includes questionnaire can be an
effective one. Early learning scale is an effective one to assess the learning capabilities of the
preschool students. On the other hand, summative assessment can be a way of assessing where
different learning styles can be assessed. The test at the end of the lesson can be an example of a
summative assessment to assess the learning style (Dixson & Worrell, 2016). Formative
assessment can be another assessment method where ongoing activity can be used to understand
the learning process (Dixson & Worrell, 2016).
Proponed diagnosis:
The proponed diagnosed are used to assess the learning style and in this case, the
presence of any learning disabilities can be understood through proponed diagnosis. Common
learning disabilities that can be understood through proponed diagnosis include Auditory
Processing Disorder (APD), Dyscalculia, Dyslexia, and ADHD. In this context, in order to assess
the learning disabilities of the children or any adults, informal interview, career interest
inventories, review of medical, school, or work histories (Tolar et al., 2016). On the other hand,

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apart from educational psychology, methods for directly detecting the functioning of the brain
during the learning process and learning disabilities amongst students’ event-related potential
and functional magnetic resonance imaging are the most suitable methods that support
educational psychology.
Counseling process:
Understanding any knowledge, information or skills is implied in insightful learning and
has important effects on other aspects of the learning process. At this juncture, the learning
theory model is effective model for understanding the learning process of the individuals. In this
context, this Learning theory model provides additional principles that can be used to
guide learning in the counseling process (Nelson et al., 2016). The clients in the counseling
process tend to have a lack of information, lack of understanding concepts, interpersonal self-
conflict, choice anxiety, cultural self-conflict. In this case, motivational interview, parent
counseling, developmental counseling, school, based counseling are the effective method that
integrates the learning theory and support patients to retain the knowledge (Tolar et al., 2016).
Many researchers suggested that the majority of counselors encourage their clients for engaging
them in constructive problem-solving activities, it will provide them with opportunities to find
what they will be more able to deal effectively with their problems.

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References:
Dixson, D. D., & Worrell, F. C. (2016). Formative and summative assessment in the
classroom. Theory into practice, 55(2), 153-159.
Font, X., Garay, L., & Jones, S. (2016). A social cognitive theory of sustainability
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Kruglanski, A. W., Fishbach, A., Woolley, K., Bélanger, J. J., Chernikova, M., Molinario, E., &
Pierro, A. (2018). A structural model of intrinsic motivation: On the psychology of
means-ends fusion. Psychological Review, 125(2), 165.
Moore, J. (2017). John B. Watson's Classical S--R Behaviorism. Journal of Mind &
Behavior, 38(1).
Nelson, L. D., Guskiewicz, K. M., Marshall, S. W., Hammeke, T., Barr, W., Randolph, C., &
McCrea, M. A. (2016). Multiple self-reported concussions are more prevalent in athletes
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Pavlov, I. (2018). Burrhus Skinner and Behaviourists. Learning Theories for Early Years
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Tolar, T. D., Fuchs, L., Fletcher, J. M., Fuchs, D., & Hamlett, C. L. (2016). Cognitive profiles of
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Zhang, L., Lu, X., Bi, Y., & Hu, L. (2019). Pavlov’s Pain: the Effect of Classical Conditioning
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