Expert and Novice 2
PsyD 732 Module 1
Introduction
Cognitive psychology has a bulky volume of literature that details the many
dissimilarities between expert performance, and that of a novice. According to Tudela (2004),
Cognitivism is basically the study of the human mind, along with its processes. The different
levels of cognitive skills, in individuals of similar or different domains, is a factor that dictates to
the subsequent levels of performance in their respective fields, categorizing one as an expert and
the other as a novice (Ericsson, 2006). Notably, individuals learn from what they already know,
by building upon it; therefore, instructional approaches, cognitive abilities and delivery of work
in different domains tend to differ (Lee & Mark, 2013).
Expert and Novice
According to Ericsson (2006), an expert is an individual who is skilled and well informed
on different issues in a specific area or domain. A novice, in this case, lacks adequate skills or
information to address any matter in that field. When it comes to healthcare, each individual
possesses his or her own level of cognitive and academic skills. While one individual is a ten-
year practicing surgeon (expert), another is a trainee nurse (novice) on their first internship, yet
in the same domain. Therefore, an expert, in this case, the ten-year practicing surgeon, is
extensively renowned as a reliable, and even dependable, a haven for knowledge, skill and
technique as compared to the nurse on her first internship after training (Ericsson, 2006). In fact,
the novice, if cognitively stimulated, strongly depends on information and skills trickling down
from the expert.
Importantly, one should not assume that a certain individual is an expert because of their
image, disposition or type of work (Ericsson, 2006). For example, one might walk into a
