Defining Types of Learning Individuals: a Phase Portrait Approach

Abstract

It has been shown in the article how the approach of dynamic systems theory may be applied to define types of learning individuals. The approach uses an analysis of phase portraits. The so-called phase portraits are graphical representations of a system dynamics in two-dimensional space of a value and its time derivative. Variations in quantity and stability of steady state points (where the derivative is zero) can easily produce different phase portraits that may be interpreted and analyzed in terms of dynamics of learning of an individual. With the help of the analysis six basic types of individuals have been defined and described: «all and now», degradation, non-learning, self-learning, threshold, culture norm. Possible implications of the analysis for research of learning are discussed.

В статье показано, как инструментарий качественной теории динамических систем может быть использован для разработки типологии индивидов по их обучаемости. В основе разрабатываемого подхода лежит анализ фазовых портретов, с помощью которого было выделено и описано шесть базовых типов индивидов: «все и сразу», деградация, необучаемость, самообучаемость, порог, культурная норма.