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- Vol 6 PE: App E
- Vol 6 RE: Chapters 1, 2
defensive reasoningsingle-loop learningdouble-loop learninggoverning assumptionstheory-in-useadvocacy and inquiryJournal article Evidence summaryAt a glance
Argyris examines why highly successful professionals can struggle to learn from failure. Their education and career histories often reward solving external problems without requiring reflection on how their own assumptions and actions contribute to difficulty.
Key ideas
When challenged, they may use defensive reasoning: shifting blame, avoiding embarrassment, and keeping their governing assumptions beyond discussion. This enables single-loop learning, in which people adjust actions while leaving goals and underlying beliefs unchanged, but blocks deeper double-loop learning. Argyris argues that organisations should make reasoning visible by examining the gap between what people claim to do and the theories actually evident in their behaviour. Productive reflection tests assumptions openly and links advocacy with inquiry.
Why it matters
For schools and professional learning communities, the implication is that expertise alone does not ensure learning; teams need psychologically safe routines for examining their own contributions to problems and revising shared norms.
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Edition abbreviations
- TE
- Teacher Edition
- PE
- Practice Edition
- RE
- Research Edition
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