▁the ▁topic . ▁When ▁the ▁lear ner ▁applies ▁their ▁prior ▁knowledge ▁to ▁the ▁advanced ▁topic , ▁the ▁lear ner ▁can ▁understand ▁the ▁meaning ▁in ▁the ▁advanced ▁topic , ▁and ▁learning ▁can ▁occur . ▁C ogn itive ▁theories ▁look ▁beyond ▁behavior ▁to ▁consider ▁how ▁human ▁memory ▁works ▁to ▁promote ▁learning , ▁and ▁an ▁understanding ▁of ▁short ▁term ▁memory ▁and ▁long ▁term ▁memory ▁is ▁important ▁to ▁educ ators ▁influenced ▁by ▁cogn itive ▁theory . ▁They ▁view ▁learning ▁as ▁an ▁internal ▁mental ▁process ▁( including ▁insight , ▁information ▁processing , ▁memory ▁and ▁per ception ) ▁where ▁the ▁educ ator ▁focus es ▁on ▁building ▁intelligence ▁and ▁cogn itive ▁development . ▁The ▁individual ▁lear ner ▁is ▁more ▁important ▁than ▁the ▁environment . ▁ ▁Other ▁cogn itive ▁theories ▁Once ▁memory ▁theories ▁like ▁the ▁At kin son - Sh if fr in ▁memory ▁model ▁ ▁and ▁Bad de ley ' s ▁working ▁memory ▁model ▁ ▁were ▁established ▁as ▁a ▁theoretical ▁framework ▁in ▁cogn itive ▁psych ology , ▁new ▁cogn itive ▁frameworks ▁of ▁learning ▁began ▁to ▁emer ge ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s , ▁ 8 0 s , ▁and ▁ 9 0 s . ▁Today , ▁research ers ▁are ▁concentr ating ▁on ▁topics ▁like ▁cogn itive ▁load ▁and ▁information ▁processing ▁theory . ▁These ▁theories ▁of ▁learning ▁play ▁a ▁role ▁in ▁influen cing ▁instruction al ▁design . ▁C ogn itive ▁theory ▁is ▁used ▁to ▁explain ▁such ▁topics ▁as ▁social ▁role ▁ac quisition , ▁intelligence ▁and ▁memory ▁as ▁related ▁to ▁age . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁late ▁tw enti eth