B l o o m ' s Ta x o n o m y o f L e a r n i n g D o m a i n s

The Three Types of Learning

There is more than one type of learning. A committee of colleges, led by Benjamin Bloom (1956), identified three
domains of educational activities:

o Cognitive: mental skills (Knowledge)

o Affective: growth in feelings or emotional areas (Attitude)
o Psychomotor: manual or physical skills (Skills)

Since the work was produced by higher education, the words tend to be a little bigger than we normally use. Domains
can be thought of as categories. Trainers often refer to these three categories as KSA (Knowledge, Skills, and
Attitude). This taxonomy of learning behaviors can be thought of as “the goals of the learning process.” That is, after
a learning episode, the learner should have acquired new skills, knowledge, and/or attitudes.

The committee also produced an elaborate compilation for the cognitive and affective domains, but none for the
psychomotor domain. Their explanation for this oversight was that they have little experience in teaching manual
skills within the college level (I guess they never thought to check with their sports or drama departments).

This compilation divides the three domains into subdivisions, starting from the simplest behavior to the most complex.
The divisions outlined are not absolutes and there are other systems or hierarchies that have been devised in the
educational and training world. However, Bloom's taxonomy is easily understood and is probably the most widely
applied one in use today

Cognitive Domain

The cognitive domain (Bloom, 1956) involves knowledge and the development of intellectual skills. This includes the
recall or recognition of specific facts, procedural patterns, and concepts that serve in the development of intellectual
abilities and skills. There are six major categories, which are listed in order below, starting from the simplest behavior
to the most complex. The categories can be thought of as degrees of difficulties. That is, the first ones must normally
be mastered before the next ones can take place.

Category Example and Key Words (verbs)

Examples: Recite a policy. Quote prices

from memory to a customer. Knows the
safety rules.
Knowledge: Recall data or information.
Key Words: defines, describes, identifies,
knows, labels, lists, matches, names,
outlines, recalls, recognizes, reproduces,
selects, states.

Examples: Rewrites the principles of test

writing. Explain in one's own words the
steps for performing a complex task.
Translates an equation into a computer
Comprehension: Understand the meaning, translation, interpolation, spreadsheet.
and interpretation of instructions and problems. State a problem in
one's own words. Key Words: comprehends, converts,
defends, distinguishes, estimates,
explains, extends, generalizes, gives an
example, infers, interprets, paraphrases,
predicts, rewrites, summarizes, translates.
 Examples: Use a manual to calculate an
employee's vacation time. Apply laws of
statistics to evaluate the reliability of a
written test.
Application: Use a concept in a new situation or unprompted use of
an abstraction. Applies what was learned in the classroom into novel
situations in the work place. Key Words: applies, changes, computes,
constructs, demonstrates, discovers,
manipulates, modifies, operates, predicts,
prepares, produces, relates, shows,
solves, uses.

Examples: Troubleshoot a piece of

equipment by using logical deduction.
Recognize logical fallacies in
reasoning. Gathers information from a
department and selects the required tasks
Analysis: Separates material or concepts into component parts so for training.
that its organizational structure may be understood. Distinguishes
between facts and inferences.
Key Words: analyzes, breaks down,
compares, contrasts, diagrams,
deconstructs, differentiates, discriminates,
distinguishes, identifies, illustrates, infers,
outlines, relates, selects, separates.

Examples: Write a company operations or

process manual. Design a machine to
perform a specific task. Integrates training
from several sources to solve a problem.
Revises and process to improve the
Synthesis: Builds a structure or pattern from diverse elements. Put outcome.
parts together to form a whole, with emphasis on creating a new
meaning or structure. Key Words: categorizes, combines,
compiles, composes, creates, devises,
designs, explains, generates, modifies,
organizes, plans, rearranges, reconstructs,
relates, reorganizes, revises, rewrites,
summarizes, tells, writes.

Examples: Select the most effective

solution. Hire the most qualified candidate.
Explain and justify a new budget.

Evaluation: Make judgments about the value of ideas or materials. Key Words: appraises, compares,
concludes, contrasts, criticizes, critiques,
defends, describes, discriminates,
evaluates, explains, interprets, justifies,
relates, summarizes, supports.

Affective Domain
The affective domain (Krathwohl, Bloom, Masia, 1973) includes the manner in which we deal with things emotionally, such as
feelings, values, appreciation, enthusiasms, motivations, and attitudes. The five major categories are listed from the simplest
behavior to the most complex:

Category Example and Key Words (verbs)

Examples: Listen to others with respect.

Listen for and remember the name of
newly introduced people.
Receiving Phenomena: Awareness, willingness to hear, selected
attention. Key Words: asks, chooses, describes,
follows, gives, holds, identifies, locates,
names, points to, selects, sits, erects,
replies, uses.

Examples: Participates in class

discussions. Gives a presentation.
Questions new ideals, concepts,
models, etc. in order to fully understand
Responding to Phenomena: Active participation on the part of the them. Know the safety rules and
learners. Attends and reacts to a particular phenomenon. Learning practices them.
outcomes may emphasize compliance in responding, willingness to
respond, or satisfaction in responding (motivation). Key Words: answers, assists, aids,
complies, conforms, discusses, greets,
helps, labels, performs, practices,
presents, reads, recites, reports, selects,
tells, writes.

Examples: Demonstrates belief in the

democratic process. Is sensitive towards
individual and cultural differences (value
diversity). Shows the ability to solve
problems. Proposes a plan to social
Valuing: The worth or value a person attaches to a particular object, improvement and follows through with
phenomenon, or behavior. This ranges from simple acceptance to the commitment. Informs management on
more complex state of commitment. Valuing is based on the matters that one feels strongly about.
internalization of a set of specified values, while clues to these values are
expressed in the learner's overt behavior and are often identifiable.
Key Words: completes, demonstrates,
differentiates, explains, follows, forms,
initiates, invites, joins, justifies,
proposes, reads, reports, selects,
shares, studies, works.

Organization: Organizes values into priorities by contrasting different Examples: Recognizes the need for
values, resolving conflicts between them, and creating a unique value balance between freedom and
system. The emphasis is on comparing, relating, and synthesizing responsible behavior. Accepts
values. responsibility for one's behavior.
Explains the role of systematic planning
in solving problems. Accepts
professional ethical standards. Creates
a life plan in harmony with abilities,
interests, and beliefs. Prioritizes time
effectively to meet the needs of the
organization, family, and self.

Key Words: adheres, alters, arranges,

combines, compares, completes,
defends, explains, formulates,
generalizes, identifies, integrates,
 modifies, orders, organizes, prepares,
relates, synthesizes.

Examples: Shows self-reliance when

working independently. Cooperates in
group activities (displays teamwork).
Uses an objective approach in problem
solving. Displays a professional
commitment to ethical practice on a
Internalizing values (characterization): Has a value system that controls daily basis. Revises judgments and
their behavior. The behavior is pervasive, consistent, predictable, and changes behavior in light of new
most importantly, characteristic of the learner. Instructional objectives are evidence. Values people for what they
concerned with the student's general patterns of adjustment (personal, are, not how they look.
social, emotional).
Key Words: acts, discriminates,
displays, influences, listens, modifies,
performs, practices, proposes, qualifies,
questions, revises, serves, solves,
verifies.

Psychomotor Domain

The psychomotor domain (Simpson, 1972) includes physical movement, coordination, and use of the motor-skill
areas. Development of these skills requires practice and is measured in terms of speed precision, distance,
procedures, or techniques in execution. The seven major categories are listed from the simplest behavior to the most
complex:

Example and Key Words

Category
(verbs)

Examples: Detects non-verbal

communication cues. Estimate where
a ball will land after it is thrown and
then moving to the correct location to
catch the ball. Adjusts heat of stove to
correct temperature by smell and taste
Perception: The ability to use sensory cues to guide motor activity. This of food. Adjusts the height of the forks
ranges from sensory stimulation, through cue selection, to translation. on a forklift by comparing where the
forks are in relation to the pallet.

Key Words: chooses, describes,

detects, differentiates, distinguishes,
identifies, isolates, relates, selects.

Set: Readiness to act. It includes mental, physical, and emotional sets. Examples: Knows and acts upon a
These three sets are dispositions that predetermine a person's response sequence of steps in a manufacturing
to different situations (sometimes called mindsets). process. Recognize one's abilities and
limitations. Shows desire to learn a
new process (motivation). NOTE: This
subdivision of Psychomotor is closely
related with the “Responding to
phenomena” subdivision of the
Affective domain.

Key Words: begins, displays,

 explains, moves, proceeds, reacts,
shows, states, volunteers.

Examples: Performs a mathematical

equation as demonstrated. Follows
instructions to build a model.
Guided Response: The early stages in learning a complex skill that Responds hand-signals of instructor
includes imitation and trial and error. Adequacy of performance is while learning to operate a forklift.
achieved by practicing.
Key Words: copies, traces, follows,
react, reproduce, responds

Examples: Use a personal

computer. Repair a leaking faucet.
Drive a car.
Mechanism: This is the intermediate stage in learning a complex
skill. Learned responses have become habitual and the movements can Key Words: assembles, calibrates,
be performed with some confidence and proficiency. constructs, dismantles, displays,
fastens, fixes, grinds, heats,
manipulates, measures, mends,
mixes, organizes, sketches.

Examples: Maneuvers a car into a

tight parallel parking spot. Operates a
computer quickly and accurately.
Displays competence while playing the
piano.
Complex Overt Response: The skillful performance of motor acts that
involve complex movement patterns. Proficiency is indicated by a quick,
Key Words: assembles, builds,
accurate, and highly coordinated performance, requiring a minimum of
calibrates, constructs, dismantles,
energy. This category includes performing without hesitation, and
displays, fastens, fixes, grinds, heats,
automatic performance. For example, players are often utter sounds of
manipulates, measures, mends,
satisfaction or expletives as soon as they hit a tennis ball or throw a
mixes, organizes, sketches.
football, because they can tell by the feel of the act what the result will
produce.
NOTE: The Key Words are the same
as Mechanism, but will have adverbs
or adjectives that indicate that the
performance is quicker, better, more
accurate, etc.

Examples: Responds effectively to

unexpected experiences. Modifies
instruction to meet the needs of the
learners. Perform a task with a
machine that it was not originally
Adaptation: Skills are well developed and the individual can modify intended to do (machine is not
movement patterns to fit special requirements. damaged and there is no danger in
performing the new task).

Key Words: adapts, alters, changes,

rearranges, reorganizes, revises,
varies.

Origination: Creating new movement patterns to fit a particular situation Examples: Constructs a new theory.
or specific problem. Learning outcomes emphasize creativity based Develops a new and comprehensive
upon highly developed skills. training programming. Creates a new
gymnastic routine.
Key Words: arranges, builds,
combines, composes, constructs,
creates, designs, initiate, makes,
originates.