How to Coach Yourself and Others Essential Knowledge For Coaching | Page 172

applications, creative combination with other material).
McCarthy offered additional insights into the four leaning styles,
as summarized below.
Characteristics of the Four Learning Types (McCarthy, 1987)
Learning Style

Characteristics as
Learners

Characteristics as
Teachers

Diverger

Perceive information
concretely, process
reflectively, are
imaginative, believe in
their own experience,
are insight thinkers,
thrive on harmony
and personal
involvement, seek
commitment,
meaning, and clarity,
and have high interest
in people and culture.

Have interest in
facilitating personal
growth, help people
become more selfaware, exhibit
authenticity,
encourage
discussions, group
work, feelings, and
cooperation, and help
students find
meaningful goals.
They may be fearful
under pressure and
may lack risk-taking.

Assimilator

Perceive abstractly,
process reflectively,
devise theories, seek
continuity, need to
know what experts
think, love ideas, and
are detail oriented.
They exhibit
intellectual
competence in

Transmit knowledge,
facts, and details; use
organized sequential
thinking, demonstrate
love of knowledge, but
can have a dominating
attitude that can
discourage creativity.

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