The Psychology of Learning History

Abstract

Abstract This article explores the connections between major themes in psychology and what researchers have discovered about how young people learn history. The authors define the concept of history and consider what it means to learn history. The authors then explore developmental perspectives on learning history and review research related to the cognitive processes involved. Next, the authors explore what researchers have discovered about affective influences on learning history. Finally, the authors review research related to social and cultural influences on young people’s history learning. The article concludes by providing suggestions for future research that builds on what is currently known about how young people learn history.