Understanding is a psychological process related to an abstract or physical object, such as a person, situation, or message whereby one is able to think about it and use concepts to deal adequately with that object.
Understanding is a relation between the knower and an object of understanding. Understanding implies abilities and dispositions with respect to an object of knowledge that are sufficient to support intelligent behaviour.Understanding is often, though not always, related to learning concepts, and sometimes also the theory or theories associated with those concepts. However, a person may have a good ability to predict the behaviour of an object, animal or system —and therefore may, in some sense, understand it—without necessarily being familiar with the concepts or theories associated with that object, animal or system in their culture. They may have developed their own distinct concepts and theories, which may be equivalent, better or worse than the recognised standard concepts and theories of their culture. Thus, understanding is correlated with the ability to make inferences.
Examples
One understands the weather if one is able to predict (e.g. if it is very cloudy, it may rain ) and/ or give an explanation of some of its features, etc.
A psychiatrist understands another person 's anxieties if he/she knows that person 's anxieties, their causes, and can give useful advice on how to cope with the anxiety.
One understands a piece of reasoning or an argument if one can consciously reproduce the information content conveyed by the message.
