“Reflective Learning” In Psychiatric Education: Does It Have Any Merit?

Abstract

Introduction

Nowadays “reflection” and “reflective practice” is nearly in every curriculum for psychiatric training. Trainees are asked to keep reflection diaries, journals, and participate in “reflection workshops”.

Aims

To prove that reflection on or in action does not lead to learning.

Methods

Using epistemological notation.

Results/proofs

Because sciences including psychiatry are approximate, evolving and inexact, the classical definition of propositional knowledge becomes: A knows that p if:

– (a’) A believes that p is an approximate true;

– (b’) p is approximate truth;

– (c’) A has reason to claim that p is a better approximation than its rivals on available evidence.

Condition (c’) implies that A is not possible at the same time to have two mutually contradictive approximate truths.

In reflective learning we need to add two more conditions:

– (d’) A knows the outcome of p;

– (e’) A is satisfied in believing that p.

In cases of reflection in-action, the (e’) remains even the outcome is not favourable. Similarly, in reflection on-action the condition (e’) remains unchanged since this happened in the past. This leads to controversy. Is p better or worse approximation of truth than its’ rival p’? However, p has passed rigorous and different scientific tests and has proved scientifically superior to its rival p’. Therefore subject A cannot change his knowledge despite the unfavourable outcome, but A can tests further the p. Within the former reflecting learning does not occur, within the latter “critical thinking” occurred.

Conclusions

Reflection does not lead to learning but critical thinking does.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.