ABSTRACT
This chapter explores briefly the growth, development, and application of some of the established theories of learning and how they might apply to different groups of employees stratified by age. In the workplace where particular skills and knowledge will be job critical in many cases, it will be important to not only identify these but also ensure they are present and retained amongst staff. Behaviourist learning theory considers that observable behaviours influence our learning process. Behaviourism has been criticized not least for its early experiments on animals and small children rather than a wider sample of society. Repetition or connectionism will also be at play, where the learner will replicate an approach until the consequences no longer produce the required result. Cognition deals with the processing of information, not just its receipt. Cognitive learning theory suggests that behaviour may change in response to the thinking and processing which occur. Transformative learning is another approach found in the cognitive tradition.
