The Dreyfus Model of Skills Acquisition

The Dreyfus Model of Skills Acquisition describes how individuals progress through five stages as they develop expertise in a skill. Starting as novices, people rely on rules and guidelines. With experience, they become competent, recognizing patterns and managing more complex tasks. As they advance, they reach proficiency, applying intuition and flexible judgment. Experts, the highest level, perform tasks automatically and intuitively, drawing from deep understanding. This model highlights that skill development is a gradual process, moving from dependence on rules to intuitive mastery, reflecting increasing confidence and intuition with experience.