I had not been familiar with Chris Argyris and Donald Schön’s theories prior to reading this overview by Mark K. Smith, but what struck me was the general applicability and currency of their ideas regarding single- and double-loop

Oversight via (self-) reflexivity is the crucial component which distinguishes double-loop learning favourably from single-loop learning, with Argyis and Schön contending that it results in a more profound and substantial learning experience.  Put more simply, knowing how we learn is incredibly useful in guiding as to what we should be learning (and why).

While these theories and their applications were conceived for (professional) organisations – clearly these principles can be applied to individuals as well (as Smith points out).  Certainly this resonated with me as ‘double-loop’ learning, or what I might call ‘self-critique’, forms the cornerstone of psychoanalysis, which is an area I’m very interested in.