Let me share what I know using simplified words for the benefit of our young readers.
Personally, learning through experience is not only the domain of the “homo sapiens” (man) for even animals have been experimentally proven to be receptive and capable of learning through a repetitive condition in the laboratory. The human mind, however, is far more complex and more absorptive not only of what is cyclical but even through details and formula as well. The human mind is intellectually superior in analysis and problem solving which is not a distinct characteristic of animals for they operate by instinct.
Now, categorically speaking, human beings learn best through experience because the process involves an in-depth awareness of one’s flaws, highlighting the negative from the positive. This in turn makes an ordinary human being cognizant of the causality of an error he encountered in life, which paves the way for self-assessment. This is one internal process that interplays with one’s ego or one’s self-concept.
Experience is the best teacher. Simple example is when a student knows that taking a class examination without studying will lead to his failure. Learning by example dictates that school examinations need time and dedication to prepare for it to get high grades, most especially if a student is aspiring for honors.
Another example is learning through experience that industry always leads to success in life and this is based on surveys conducted by credible magazines, newspapers or private organizations interested in the progress of man in the society. It could also be proven by the personal accounts of people you know or the friends of your friends.
In application, therefore, man will best learn through experience IF AND ONLY IF he allows room for changes and positive transformation. For learning has no effect if there is no change that follows. Meaning, learning is not learning in progress if what has been experienced as a cause for failure is ignored and the act is constantly repeated. I am talking of learning here as man’s guide to right a wrong. If this does not happen, then I assert that positive learning has not taken place.
In simple words, we can measure if positive learning is present through man’s reaction or inaction.
Let me give you a clear example. If a single woman knows, that having an illicit affair with a married man would bring her pain and failure in life, positive learning will tell her to avoid getting deeply involved with married men. If she does not, she would still continue to have extra-marital affairs with married men one after the other, then she is in fact having a problem with her self-respect and this would not make her see the wrongs in her actions.
Now let me give a formula for learning (Learning = human experience + thoughts + ego + good principles + action needed to be taken). For learning to take place, it needs an actual experience;out of this experience, thoughts are processed; the ego decides what kind of effect it has on the person’s principles; which could motivate actions to be taken-whether or not something positive will come out of it, depends largely on the personality of the learner.
In falling in-love, this is a complicated case in learning and most of the time, it is never unlearning. Confusing? We all know that LOVE is the hardest human emotion to resist, for despite of many hurts in the past owing to wrong choices and decisions, still, falling in-love can never be unlearned.
This is why we still need the years of experience to learn by comparison and through avoidance of repeating wrong acts to preserve a cherished relationship.
The whole point of this article is to understand that the psychological effect of learning through experience is highly personal and requires an in-depth analysis of an individual’s mind.
For in the end, it will be the individual himself who knows his self-worth for the society has no right to intervene in his personal make-up not unless he is a criminal or a lawless element.
