Microgenetic Analysis of Learning: Measuring Change as It Occurs

The ability to measure the process of change in learning represents a fundamental aspect of psychology. In this manuscript, initially, two traditional designs, cross-sectional and longitudinal, are shown to be inadequate for analyzing changes associated with cognitive learning processes. Then microgenetic analysis, along with its philosophical underpinnings and a case study, is shown to be a promising methodological approach for examining change processes and individuals ’ learning differences because it is expressly designed to permit researchers to scrutinize processes, not products, typically associated with cognitive change or learning