DURING THE 1950'S, BENJAMIN BLOOM LED a team of educational psychologists in the analysis of academic learning behaviors. The results of this team's research produced what is known today in the field of education, as Bloom's Taxonomy. This hierarchy of learning behaviors was categorized into three interrelated and overlapping learning domains; the cognitive (knowledge), affective (attitude), and psychomotor (skills). (Lane, 2001) This article describes in detail each of these three learning domains.

The Cognitive Learning Domain is exhibited by a person’s intellectual abilities. Cognitive learning behaviors are characterized by observable and unobservable skills such as comprehending information, organizing ideas, and evaluating information and actions. 

These skills are arranged into six hierarchical levels, beginning from the simple and building to the most difficult. These six categories are arranged on scale of difficulty, meaning that a learner who is able to perform at the higher levels of the taxonomy, is demonstrating a more complex level of cognitive thinking. In this picture, the learner is applying his knowledge of mathematical computation to solve a multiple step word problem. 

Cognitive Learning Level: Application

The Affective Learning Domain addresses a learner’s emotions towards learning experiences. A learner’s attitudes, interest, attention, awareness, and values are demonstrated by affective behaviors.
These emotional behaviors which are organized in a hierarchical format also, starting from simplest and building to most complex, are as follows: 

These five categories can be thought of in a scaffolding manner, one must be learned in order to move onto the next category. (Clark, 1999) 
In the picture to the left, this learner is writing a praise note in response to another child’s positive actions. 

Affective Learning Level: Valuing

The psychomotor domain refers to the use of basic motor skills, coodination,and physical movement. Bloom's research group did not develop in-depth categories of this domain, claiming lack of experience in teaching these skills. However, Simpson (1972) developed seven psychomotor categories to support Bloom's domain. 

These physical behaviors are learned through repetitive practice. A learner's ability to perform these skills is based on precision, speed, distance, and technique. (Clark, 1999). 

 Psychomotor Learning Level: Mechanism

This child is demonstrating a behavior from the psychomotor domain. While practicing the physical movements in throwing a softball he is learning and improving this skill through repetitive practice.

Jennifer Martin
Educational Technology
San Diego State University