Unlearning, a concept once relegated to the margins of educational theory and neuroscience, is taking center stage in 2025 as new research urges individuals and institutions to rethink how knowledge is acquired, updated, and, crucially, discarded. As global education systems and workforces grapple with fast-evolving information landscapes, being able to let go of outdated ideas is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity for personal growth and organizational innovation (Psychology Today; WDHB).
At a time when critical thinking and lifelong learning are top priorities for Thai educators, policymakers, and professionals, the call to “learn to unlearn” resonates more than ever. This shift has significant implications for Thailand, where education reform and workforce development remain key to national progress and participation in the global knowledge economy.
The latest research, as summarized in a recent Psychology Today essay by Dr. Lauren Florko, highlights that unlearning is not about simply forgetting information. Rather, it involves consciously questioning and uprooting beliefs and assumptions that are incomplete, no longer true, or based on flawed frameworks. The process demands humility and a willingness to accept discomfort and uncertainty—qualities that can be especially challenging in cultures or systems that value consistency and deference to tradition.
Neuroscience is helping to explain why unlearning can be so difficult. When we learn something new, our brains create and strengthen neural pathways. With repeated use, these pathways become deeply ingrained and efficient, making it harder to replace them with new ones—even when presented with better or updated information. As explained in a 2025 article by the WDHB Studio research team, “The challenge of unlearning is not just to forge new neural pathways, but to inhibit dominant neural networks simultaneously.” This is why deeply held personal or institutional mental models can be so resistant to change (WDHB).
Beyond neural wiring, social and emotional factors are major roadblocks. Releasing longstanding beliefs can feel like a threat to identity, status, or belonging. Cultural and social reinforcements—such as organizational traditions or national narratives—often celebrate stability over adaptability, making it even harder for individuals to admit when they were wrong. Emotional attachment amplifies the challenge: lessons learned through emotionally intense experiences require far more cognitive effort to override.
Globally, this resistance to unlearning has real-world implications. For decades, psychological and medical research relied heavily on WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic) populations, meaning that policies and products were often shaped by data unreflective of wider cultural realities (Frontiers in Education). For example, until the early 1990s, women were largely excluded from drug trials, leading to health treatments that failed to account for crucial gender differences. When institutions ignore the need to unlearn, outdated or biased assumptions are perpetuated, marginalizing entire segments of society.
Expert voices emphasize the need for an explicit culture of unlearning. Dr. Florko recounts her own academic journey, noting how confronting the limitations of established models like Maslow’s hierarchy—rooted in Western individualism—led her to seek cross-cultural perspectives and question the supposed objectivity of research. The process, she notes, is uncomfortable but ultimately liberating: “We can shift from a shame-based mindset, ‘I ought to have known this already,’ to a curiosity-based mindset, ‘What else is there to discover?’”
Internationally recognized neuroscientists and education specialists echo this sentiment. Research highlighted by Dr. Andrew Huberman of Stanford University demonstrates that pairing physical movement with cognitive restructuring can accelerate the unlearning process by up to 68% compared to traditional, lecture-style instruction. Emotional, experiential learning—such as sharing stories or engaging in hands-on activities—creates “sticky” memories that are more likely to replace outdated patterns (WDHB).
In Thailand, examples of the harm caused by failing to unlearn are not hard to find. For years, national curriculum reforms struggled to take hold in the classroom, in part due to the persistence of rote memorization and hierarchical teacher-student relationships established under previous education regimes. Public health policy, too, sometimes lags behind the latest science, as seen in the slow updating of dietary advice and pandemic response protocols.
However, the unlearning movement presents opportunities as well as challenges. The Ministry of Education, university faculties, and major employers in Thailand have begun to implement professional development programs focusing on metacognitive skills, growth mindsets, and reflective practice. Instead of penalizing shifts in thinking, some institutions are now starting to reward adaptability, innovation, and the ability to integrate new evidence—even when it contradicts the status quo.
To foster unlearning, experts recommend three practical strategies:
- Cultivate safe learning communities where individuals feel comfortable admitting uncertainty or error, and where questioning is seen as a strength, not a weakness.
- Encourage growth mindsets and experimentation by framing errors as part of the learning process and celebrating creative problem solving at all levels, from students to senior administrators.
- Emphasize experiential learning that taps into both cognitive and emotional engagement, such as peer discussions, design thinking workshops, or reflective action research.
Thailand’s multi-faith, multicultural society may find special resonance in approaches that celebrate plurality and the ongoing evolution of knowledge. Traditional Buddhist teachings, for example, often uphold the notion of impermanence and continuous development—ideas that can support a healthy attitude towards unlearning.
Looking to the future, integrating unlearning into mainstream education and workforce training is likely to become a key marker of national progress. Experts caution, however, that success depends on more than policy directives. Interdisciplinary collaboration, particularly between educators and neuroscientists, is vital to ensure that new insights into brain function are translated into classroom and workplace practices (Frontiers in Education). Thailand’s own growing neuroscience and educational research communities are poised to play a leading role in this global movement.
For Thai readers, the actionable takeaway is straightforward: question your assumptions, seek out diverse sources of information, and don’t be afraid to change your mind in the light of new evidence. Whether you’re a student, teacher, policymaker, or professional in industry, embracing unlearning will not only help you adapt to change but will also contribute to a more innovative, equitable, and informed society.
For those interested in diving deeper, consider enrolling in courses on metacognition, growth mindset, or educational neuroscience; participate in cross-disciplinary reading groups; and advocate for institutional policies that recognize the value of adaptability over rigid adherence to tradition. As Thailand continues to navigate the complexities of the 21st century, the courage to unlearn may prove just as important as the drive to learn.
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