• Underuse: Complacency
• Overuse: Know-it-all-ism

Key Research:

• Rank order of Love of Learning in populations from:
  • US : 12;
  • European: 7
  • Asia: 12
  • Latin America: 13
  • Sub-Saharan Africa: 16
  • Middle east: 17
• The character strengths least related to life satisfaction (weak association) are modesty/humility, creativity, appreciation of beauty & excellence, judgment, and love of learning (Park, Peterson, & Seligman, 2004).
• A study of strengths under the virtue of wisdom (creativity, curiosity, judgment, love of learning, and perspective) found them to be related to higher performance on a creative task and negatively related to stress (Avey et al., 2012).
• Top 10 (rank order) strengths expressed at work: honesty, judgment, perspective, fairness, perseverance, love of learning, leadership, zest, curiosity, social intelligence.

Essay on the Love of Learning from  David McCullough.

Psychological impact of Lover of Learning:

1. Love of Learning is a key predictor of academic achievement: Research has shown that individuals with high levels of Love of Learning tend to achieve higher levels of academic success and have a greater desire to learn (Peterson & Seligman, 2004).
2. Love of Learning is linked to cognitive flexibility: Love of Learning is associated with cognitive flexibility, which is the ability to switch between different mental tasks and adapt to new information (Kray et al., 2008).
3. Love of Learning is a key component of intellectual curiosity: Love of Learning is a key component of intellectual curiosity, which is the desire to learn and explore new ideas and concepts (Kashdan & Ciarrochi, 2013).
4. Love of Learning is associated with a growth mindset: Individuals with high levels of Love of Learning tend to have a growth mindset, which is the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through effort and learning (Dweck, 2006).
5. Love of Learning is linked to creativity: Love of Learning is associated with creativity, which is the ability to generate new and original ideas (Amabile, 1996).
6. Love of Learning is a key strength for individuals in careers that require continuous learning: Love of Learning is essential for individuals in careers that require continuous learning, such as scientists, engineers, and artists (Peterson & Seligman, 2004).
7. Love of Learning is associated with a love of reading: Individuals with high levels of Love of Learning tend to have a love of reading and enjoy reading for pleasure (Lyubomirsky et al., 2005).
8. Love of Learning is linked to a sense of purpose: Love of Learning is associated with a sense of purpose, which is the feeling that one’s learning and activities are meaningful and contribute to a larger goal (Seligman et al., 2005).
9. Love of Learning is a key strength for individuals who value lifelong learning: Love of Learning is essential for individuals who value lifelong learning and believe that learning is a continuous process (Kashdan & Ciarrochi, 2013).
10. Love of Learning can be developed and strengthened: Research has shown that Love of Learning can be developed and strengthened through practice, such as engaging in lifelong learning, seeking out new experiences, and cultivating a love of reading (Seligman et al., 2005).

Put into action the recommendations from  the Authentic Happiness Coaching Newsletter on Love of Learning

• Take a class just for fun (cooking, yoga, auto mechanics, astronomy, etc.)
• Go to an online search engine like Ask Jeeves, ask a question, and explore sites you never otherwise would have discovered.
• Every day, read a chapter of a book just for fun.
• Decide to become an expert in a specialized topic and begin collecting (and reading) books on the subject.
• Every weekend, discover a new area of your neighborhood, town, or city.
• Subscribe to a newspaper or a periodical of special interest.
• Join an internet discussion group devoted to a topic that you think might be interesting.

Tayyab Rashid and Afroze Anjum offer 340 Ways to Use VIA Character Strengths including these four for Love of Learning:

1. Visit a new museum every month and write about new things you learned. Bring a friend or family member and listen to their impressions of the trip.
2. Read a non-fiction book monthly on a topic you find absorbing and engaging. Find others who share your interest and swap books after finishing.
3. Read and research about a topic by visiting the library at least once a week. Write one page of pragmatic ideas that can advance that field and discuss them with someone who shares your interest.
4. Arrange a teach-learn date with a friend, learn a skill, and teach what you are best at. Try to find a friend with very different interests so that you are exposed to something totally new.

Try one of these learning style surveys:

VARK Questionnaire (Neil Fleming)

• • • Short and reliable. Results are in terms of Visual, Auditory, Read/Write, and Multimodals.
    • Read the FAQs before you begin to better understand the approach of the survey. Then click on Questionnaire to discover your learning preferences. It is easiest to print the score sheet from the site.
    • After completing the survey, you will calculate the results. Follow directions carefully.
    • An explanation of your particular learning style and tips for applying this information to your college studies are found under Descriptions.

Learning Styles: Learn Effectively by Understanding Your Learning Preferences (Mind Tools) This web site is a bit distracting, but the information includes other types of learners which you may want to look at. Print the handout if the site bothers you.

 

Index of Learning Styles This on-line instrument is used to assess preferences on four dimensions (active/reflective, sensing/intuitive, visual/verbal, and sequential/global). (North Carolina State University)

Read the introductory information, check out the FAQs, the click onILS questionnaire. To interpret your assessment results, click on Descriptions of the learning styles.

 

Paragon Learning Style Inventory A 48-item self-administered survey that provides a very reliable indication of learning style and cognitive preference. It uses the four Jungian dimensions (i.e., introversion/ extroversion, intuition/sensation, thinking/feeling, and judging/perceiving). (CSULA and State University of New York at Oswego)

• • Click on Take the PLSI. Follow the directions carefully. Upon completion, click on Your Score.
  • For interpretation of your results, click on Descriptions.

Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences This is not a survey. You will find information about multiple intelligences, an important theory that impacts education today. From reading the descriptions, you will be able to determine your strengths, that is, your different forms of intelligence.

• Essay on the Love of Learning from  David McCullough.
• The Art of Learning: An Inner Journey to Optimal Performance–Josh Waitzkin
• The Art of Learning: An Inner Journey to Optimal Performance by Josh Waitzkin
• Mastery by Robert Greene
• Ultralearning: Master Hard Skills, Outsmart the Competition, and Accelerate Your Career by
  Scott H. Young
• Mastery: The Keys to Success and Long-Term Fulfillment by George Leonard
• Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning by Peter C. Brown
• How to Become a Straight-A Student: The Unconventional Strategies Real College Students Use to Score High While Studying Less by Cal Newport

1. How to Cram 2 Months of Learning into 1 Day | Josh Waitzkin | The Tim Ferriss Show

   Josh Waitzkin, author of The Art of Learning, is an eight-time US National Chess Champion, a two-time World Champion in Tai Chi Chuan Push Hands, and the first Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt under nine-time World Champion Marcelo Garcia.

   • Watch here
2. “The Puzzle of Motivation” by Dan Pink
   • Dan Pink examines the science of motivation, challenging conventional wisdom about what drives us to learn and excel. Understanding intrinsic motivation can fuel a genuine passion for learning and personal growth.
   • Watch here
3. “The Art of Learning” by Josh Waitzkin
   • Josh Waitzkin, a chess prodigy and martial arts champion, shares insights on mastering skills and cultivating a love for the learning process itself. His talk emphasizes the importance of resilience, adaptability, and a growth mindset.
   • Watch here
4. “The Surprising Habits of Original Thinkers” by Adam Grant
   • Organizational psychologist Adam Grant explores the habits and behaviors of original thinkers, shedding light on how they cultivate creativity and innovation. Embracing a love for learning involves being open to new ideas and perspectives.
   • Watch here

Learn about how you learn

There are many different approaches to learning styles. Explore a few:

VARK Questionnaire (Neil Fleming)

• • • Short and reliable. Results are in terms of Visual, Auditory, Read/Write, and Multimodals.
    • Read the FAQs before you begin to better understand the approach of the survey. Then click on Questionnaire to discover your learning preferences. It is easiest to print the score sheet from the site.
    • After completing the survey, you will calculate the results. Follow directions carefully.
    • An explanation of your particular learning style and tips for applying this information to your college studies are found under Descriptions.

Information for auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learners can be found at the following sites.

Learning Styles: Learn Effectively by Understanding Your Learning Preferences (Mind Tools) This web site is a bit distracting, but the information includes other types of learners which you may want to look at. Print the handout if the site bothers you.

 

Index of Learning Styles This on-line instrument is used to assess preferences on four dimensions (active/reflective, sensing/intuitive, visual/verbal, and sequential/global). (North Carolina State University)

Read the introductory information, check out the FAQs, the click onILS questionnaire. To interpret your assessment results, click onDescriptions of the learning styles.

 

Paragon Learning Style Inventory A 48-item self-administered survey that provides a very reliable indication of learning style and cognitive preference. It uses the four Jungian dimensions (i.e., introversion/ extroversion, intuition/sensation, thinking/feeling, and judging/perceiving). (CSULA and State University of New York at Oswego)

• • Click on Take the PLSI. Follow the directions carefully. Upon completion, click on Your Score.
  • For interpretation of your results, click on Descriptions.

Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences This is not a survey. You will find information about multiple intelligences, an important theory that impacts education today. From reading the descriptions, you will be able to determine your strengths, that is, your different forms of intelligence.