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In the 1920s, German psychologist Wolfgang Kohler was studying the behavior of apes. He

designed some simple experiments that led to the development of one of the first cognitive
theories of learning, which he called insight learning.
EXPIEMENT
Name of Chimpanzee was SULTAN

This experiment took place within a large room containing bamboo poles and crates. He began
by hanging a banana from a string to the ceiling and leaving the apes to figure out how to get it
down. He noticed that the apes would jump and attempt to grab it and once they figured out they
couldn’t get it that way, they would sit down for a while and ponder. After a while they would
suddenly get up and attempt to grab it in a new way, by either using the crates or the bamboo
pole. Some stacked boxes, and had to figure out how to stack them properly before jumping to
grab it while others would use the bamboo pole to knock the banana down by throwing the pole
at it (Kohler’s Work on Insight Learning, n.d.).

The second half of the experiment involved putting the apes within a cage, giving them a branch
of a tree, and placing the banana outside of the cage. This involved a similar reaction of
attempting to reach them, discovering it was too far, going to think, and then suddenly snapping
the branch in such a way that it could reach between the bars and extend their arms to reach the
banana. Due to the similar reactions between Apes, Kohler concluded that they did not
experience trial-and-error, but experienced a flash of insight and would go off of whatever they
figured out until they achieved their goal (Ash, I. K., Jee, B. D., & Wiley, J., 2012). For Kohler’s
translated notes on this experiment click here.

Through these experiments he also discovered that the apes had these flashes of insight at
different times and it took some longer than others to figure out a solution or even realise there
was anything to do in their environment. For example, one of the apes named Sultan figured it
out in the first and second experimental conditions almost immediately and was very successful,
but another ape named Koko took several weeks to figure out a solution to the first experimental
condition (Insight Learning (Wolfgang Kohler in 1925), 2011, December 6). Prior to his work
what we knew about animal learning largely came from Edward Thorndike and his puzzle box
experiments, which largely believed animals came to specific conclusions by accident and
repeated random actions. Kohler’s ape experiments showed that they can also experience flashes
of insight that lead them to a specific goal when attempting to figure out a problem.
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Observation
Learning occurs in a variety of ways. Sometimes it is the result of direct observation; other times,
it is the result of experience through personal interactions with the environment. Kohler called
this newly observed type of learning insight learning. Based on these observations, Kohler's
theory of insight learning became an early argument for the involvement of cognition, or
thinking, in the process of learning.

Steps of Learning by Insight:

1. Identification of the problem: The learner identify the presence of a block as an intervening

obstacles on his way to the goal.
2. Analysis of the Problem situation: The learner observes the problematic situation, analyse
the different components in the problematic situation and perceive the relation between the goal
and the block.
3. Establishing mental association in between similar previously acquired ideas :  After
analyzing the total situation he selects probable solutions  in conclusions by means of hesitation,
pause, concentrated attention etc.
4.  Trail of Mode of Response: The learner makes initial efforts in the form of a simple trial and
error mechanism.
5.  Sustained Attention: The learner maintains frequently recurrent attention to the goal and
motivation.
6.  Establishing cause-effect relationship:   In a certain moment there is a sudden perception of
the relationship in the total situation and the organism directly performs the required acts. This is
Insight development.
7.  Steady Repetition of Adaptive Behavior: After getting an insightful solution, the individual
tries to implement it in another situation.

Laws of Insight Formation:

1. Capacities:
Insight depends upon the capacity of the organism. Individuals offer in their capacities. The more
developed is the individual, the more will be the capacity to develop insight.

2. Previous experience:
Insight depends upon relevant previous experience and maturation. Some practice, trial and error
and maturation upto the level is essential before insight develops. A child of five years cannot
develop mathematical insight since he has not done sufficient practice in it.

3. Experimental arrangement:
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Development of insight depends upon experimental arrangement also.

4. Fumbling and search:

Insight follows a period of fumbling and search.

5. Readily repeated:
Insightful solutions can be readily repeated.

6. Use in new situation:

Insight once achieved can be used in new situation.

7. Wholesome experience:
Experience of insight is always wholesome. Whole is just not equal to its parts.

 Principles Involved in Insightful Learning

There are principles involved in perceptual organization or insightful learning. Some of the basic
laws propounded by Gestalt psychologists are as follows;
1. Law of figure ground: Everything is perceived in the context of its background. Thus, close
relationship is there between figure and ground. For example, we try to solve a sum by using the
means that closed areas are more stable and satisfying than the unclosed ones. Closed areas form
groups very easily. This law is also called law of closure.
2. Law of pragnanz: An organism is motivated to learn when there is tension or disequilibrium
of forces in the psychological field. Learning is the removal of this tension. When we perceive an
object, we find some gaps in our perceptions. These gaps are filled by the perceiver and a whole
figure is prepared.
3. Law of continuity: Objects having continuity are learnt easily because they can easily make a
whole.
4. Law of similarity: this law makes the individual to grasp things which are similar. They are
picked out as they were from the total context. Similar ideas and experiences get associated. An
object revives another object which resembles or looks similar to it. For example, seeing a man
and remembering an intimate friend by some resemblance though never saw them together in the
past.
5. Law of proximity: this law states the proximate or near together things are picked up first and
learnt easily than distant things. In other words, perceptual grounds are favoured according to the
nearness of their respective parts. Items tend to form groups if they are spaced together. For
instance, a triangle or a circle is understood in this way.

Educational Implications of Learning by Insight :

1. Integrated curriculum:
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The curriculum of the class should be an integrated whole i.e., there should be correlation
between various subjects.

2. Problem as a whole:
The whole problem is to be presented in the class. A piece meal approach will not develop
learning by insight. This theory believes, “The whole is not a sum of the parts.” The teacher
should present the things in the class as a whole atleast to start with. To give a complete insight
into the learning material, we should always proceed from whole to the part. The lesson should
form an integrated unit because insight is possible if the situation is perceived as a whole.

(i) The whole sentence should be presented first and then analysed into words or letters.

(ii) While teaching Biology, the model of the whole body should be presented before the children
and then the various parts and organs of the body should be emphasied.

(iii) While teaching geography, we should part from the globe and then come down to country,
state, district and city.

3. Child as a whole:
Parents and teachers should see the child as a whole and in total setting. It is not wise to conclude
on the basis of single act about the child’s behaviour.

4. Importance of motivation:
The theory stresses the importance of motivation in learning. Therefore, the teacher should
motivate the students properly for insightful learning.

5. Importance of transfer:
The theory also emphasises the importance of transfer of learning. Previous experiences are
helpful in learning. Hence the teacher should encourage the students to make the best use of
transfer of learning.

6. Emphasis on intelligent learning:

The theory is economical in terms of human energy. It puts emphasis on insight and
understanding rather than rote learning. So spoon feeding and cramming should be discouraged.
There are no useless and random efforts. The teacher should encourage the students to learn by
understanding and insight i.e., intelligence.
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7. Development of higher mental faculties:

Insight involves the maximum use of intelligence. Therefore, learning by insight is helpful in
developing and improving higher mental processes like thinking, imagination, reasoning,
analystical ability, problem solving, creativity etc. The theory specially encourages creative
activity of the child. The teacher has to view the situation as a whole and then decide the line of
action.

8. Problem solving approach:

Insight helps in solving problems through one’s own efforts. This approach trains the child to
solve his problems in life. Therefore, the teacher should make use of problems solving approach
for better learning. He should prepare children emotionally and intellectually to solve the
problem.

9. Useful for difficult subjects:

The theory is specially useful for learning difficult subjects like science, mathematics and
literature.

10. Useful for scientific inventions:

The theory is very useful for scientific inventions and discoveries.

11. Individual differences:
(a) The teacher keep in mind the intelligence level, maturity and other types of individual
differences. Intelligence plays a major role in learning by insight. The more intelligent a child is,
the more he will learn through insight. The less intelligent child takes more time and makes more
efforts to gain insight.

(b) Insight of the child should be carefully handled by the teacher. He should know that its
development is related to the physical maturation of the child. He should present the problem
keeping in view the maluratior, of the child.

12. Logical presentation:
The teacher should present his lesson logically. He should proceed from ‘simple to complex’,
‘concrete to abstract’, ’empirical to rational’ and ‘psychological to logical’. The problems
presented in the class should be linked with life so that the learners have the greatest benefit out
of them.

13. Persistent efforts:
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It needs a lot of patience on the part of the teacher. Insight does not develop in the learner
immediately. It needs persistent efforts.

14. Goal-oriented approach:
The teacher should develop in the learner the purpose of striving towards a goal on the basis of
child’s experience. He should relate the topic taught to the experiences of the child and then lead
him towards the goal.

15. Multiple approach:
Ability of the learner and his past experiences play an important role in insight.

Therefore, the teacher should adopt a multiple approach in learning in the following
manner:
(i) Planning lesson:
The teacher should plan his lesson appropriately.

(ii) Providing experiences:

He should provide significant and meaningful experiences to the pupil.

(iii) Bringing integration:

He should bring an integration between theory and practice.