Question

A child learning the steps of hand hygiene -- what domain of learning does this involve?

• A. Cognitive
• B. Psychomotor
• C. Affective
• D. Affective and cognitive

Hint:

Consider which domain of learning involves physical skill performance and motor coordination.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Recall Bloom's taxonomy of learning domains. Learning is classified into three domains:

• Cognitive domain: Knowledge, understanding, analysis, evaluation (mental/intellectual skills).
• Affective domain: Attitudes, values, feelings, emotional responses.
• Psychomotor domain: Physical skills, motor activities, manual tasks requiring practice and coordination.

Step 2: Categorise hand hygiene learning. Learning the steps of hand hygiene involves physical performance of a sequence of motor actions (rubbing palms, interlacing fingers, cleaning thumbs, etc.). This is a psychomotor skill -- it requires physical coordination, practice, and muscle memory.

Step 3: Apply to public health context. Hand hygiene is explicitly cited as a psychomotor skill critical for patient safety and infection prevention. Teaching proper handwashing technique falls under psychomotor education because the child must physically perform the steps correctly.

Conclusion: The correct domain is Psychomotor.