A phenomenological analysis of descriptions of conceptions of learning obtained from a phenomenographic perspective

Amedeo P. Giorgi

Ever since Ebbinghaus (1964/1885) "proved" that the "higher mental processes" were susceptible to the natural scientific method, investigations of learning have been almost exclusively quantitative. Ebbinghaus' ideal was pursued for almost one-hundred years before the field began to explore other research approaches to the phenomenon of learning. In recent decades, however, the necessity for qualitative approaches has been argued for and research strategies concentrating on the qualitative aspects have been developed (Giorgi 1967, Marton & Säljö 1976a, 1976b, Torbertson 1972). An analysis of Ebbinghaus' original research (Giorgi 1985a) shows that there were indeed, of necessity, some qualitative moments in his research, but he chose not to emphasize them, and moreover, that his commitment to the natural scientific method was an a priori one. However, it could also be that Ebbinghaus never intended that the quantitative approaches be the only way to study learning, or that few psychologists knew what else to do.

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