Humans try to learn new things by recognizing patterns in the environment. For example, when given a road map, we may try to memorize each turn. But if we can see patterns, we can learn more quickly. Researchers conducted a study with 26 adults. They were shown pictures for three seconds at a time, revealing the pictures one by one. The results were fascinating. It is likely that we follow patterns in the environment to make our lives easier.
Pattern learning
It is well known that people try to detect patterns in their environments to make things easier. For example, when given driving directions, it is easier to memorize each turn when you know the pattern. This is the same process when people receive photos of places or faces. However, it is not clear how the brain processes these patterns. The researchers conducted a study with 26 people in which they were shown images over a three-second period. The researchers then recorded the brain activity in these subjects as they chose which photo to look at next.
Probabilistic learning
The process of learning and decision making relies on patterns. Suppose you're given driving directions, and you try to memorize the road turns. You're much more likely to remember a sequence of turns if the directions are presented in a pattern. In a recent study, participants were shown 50 series of images, including hand, landscape, and face images. The pictures were sometimes presented in a pattern, and sometimes in random order. When the participants chose the next photo, brain activity was measured with an MRI machine.
Patterns in the environment
The mind is wired to look for patterns, whether they are observable or not. Humans tend to look for patterns in things, whether they are in the environment, in the way we behave, or in our thought processes. Patterns are helpful for decision-making and knowledge-acquisition. But they can be harmful when we think we are seeing something that doesn't exist. This article will discuss how humans think and make decisions based on patterns.
Apophenia
Humans are prone to seeing patterns everywhere - the "Man in the Moon," figures in shadows and clouds, and so on. Seeing patterns is essential for making decisions and acquiring knowledge, but it can also lead to the creation of things that do not actually exist. This is known as apophenia, and it is responsible for everything from gambling and conspiracy theories to misinterpretation of random data.
Patterns in the environment make learning easier
All students are constantly exposed to environmental information, but only a portion of this information is instructional. Students are constantly monitoring these ambient properties and focusing their attention on specific targets. Patterns and repetition in the environment can help students learn more effectively and retain more information. In a classroom, for example, students may not like new design elements, or they may be unfamiliar with new targets. These factors all contribute to a less effective learning environment.