Sage Hoppe

28 April 2024

Technology in Relation to Behaviorism

Just as everyone on this earth is a learner in some way, each person’s learning style and

methods are completely unique. In the learning community, these are referred to as learning

theories. Some of the learning theories, for example, are behaviorism, which mainly focuses on

behavior and reward or consequence; cognitivism, which mainly focuses on memory, attention,

and problem-solving; and constructivism, mainly focusing on experiences and interactions with

others. Based on people’s upbringing, schooling style, genetics, and whether they may have any

learning differences or disabilities affects their learning style and the theory/theories they may

use.

My learning style most aligns with behaviorism. Since I was in elementary school, I have

always been very reward-motivated, and have worked best under pressure, which means I feel

most motivated when trying to avoid a consequence. I am a very visual learner, learning very

well with flashcards, even to the point where I am able to remember pictures on flashcards from

back in elementary school. I also learn well hands-on and being shown images instead of reading

words or hearing lectures. Therefore, I learn well using Quizlet, and I believe this is a good

technology for anyone who learns best using the theory of behaviorism.

According to VeryWell Mind, behaviorism is a theory of learning that stems from

conditioning and reward, almost training the mind in a sense. Strict behaviorists believe that any

person can be conditioned to perform any task, regardless of genetics or mental ability, as long as

they have the physical capability. Another big concept in behaviorism is learning through
association, which is where the flashcards come in. Being shown an image on a flashcard and

associating it with a term, definition, or concept can be a very helpful learning method for those

who learn best with behaviorism.

This is where Quizlet comes in. Quizlet is a learning technology in the form of a mobile

app and web tool that utilizes mainly flashcards as a study tool. The University of Denver writes,

“You can either design your own study sets from scratch or search for pre-made sets to customize

and use in your teaching. Quizlet takes information and converts it into flashcards, quizzes, and

games, so that users can study the same information in a variety of forms. Flashcards are

typically two-sided.” The flashcard and game aspect of this site especially align with

behaviorism and my learning style. The website originated as just flashcards, but now has games

such as matching, gravity, and even a live mode where multiple students can collaborate on the

same study set.

The mobile app also includes reminders to focus, which is a great built-in tool to help

those who struggle with staying on task and have a good, solid study session. The mobile aspect

of the application brings accessibility, because even if you don’t have a laptop or good internet,

study sets can be downloaded and accessed from anywhere. According to Harvard University,

half of all US high school students and a third of US college students use Quizlet every month.

This is a very widely used technology that has aspects to fit with all learning styles and theories,

but especially visual learning and behaviorism, as I use in my daily life to learn and study.

There are some criticisms with both the behaviorism theory and Quizlet as a technology

form. First of all, behaviorism can be shown to only pay attention to concrete behaviors in

learning, and not enough to the cognitive processes, experiences in life, and interactions with

other learners and teachers. If one spends too much time trying to study or learn something and
receives too many rewards or consequences, the criticism of this theory can truly go either way.

You can become too wrapped up in the reward or consequence system and you will not actually

learn the material.

Also, behaviorism can be argued to cause a lack of individualization in learners, because

it can fail to account for individual differences in learning styles and methods while doling

everyone the same reward or the same consequence. Different preferences and motivations in

learning can be ignored if behaviorism is the sole learning theory that is used and others are not

even considered in the learning process. Also, there can be ethical concerns regarding the use of

rewards and punishments to manipulate behavior if anything other than the natural consequence

is used, which is not usually the case in modern behaviorism in adults. However, I have been a

witness to many debates regarding the use of rewards in learning, especially food or toy rewards

in elementary and middle school classrooms, as they can lead to either a distraction or envy

among students.

In the same wheelhouse, there can be a few criticisms to using Quizlet. First of all, it can

be helpful for surface-level learning and memorization but can be unhelpful for long-term

learning, deeper understanding, or critical thinking. Critics say that Quizlet’s learning strategies

do not employ active learning strategies since the app only uses passive review of flashcards and

simple gameplay. However, in my opinion, this is not usually the intention of regular Quizlet

users. If deeper-level learning is desired, Quizlet is usually used among other learning

technologies to achieve this. Students who use Quizlet by itself are usually simply looking for a

short-term memorization for a quiz or exam.

Along with the same criticism of behaviorism, Quizlet can also be criticized for lack of

personalization. While the study sets, flashcards, and games offer a little bit of customization, it
may not fully accommodate individual learning styles, preferences, or pacing, leading to a one-

size-fits-all approach. This can be a small inconvenience depending on the learner, but as I

mentioned with the first criticism, those who use Quizlet for anything but short-term

memorization are most likely to use other technologies in tandem with the flashcards or

gameplay.

In conclusion, the realm of learning theories encompasses many different perspectives

that reflect the complexity of human cognition and behavior. Everyone’s learning style is shaped

by a multitude of factors, including upbringing, genetics, and educational experiences, leading to

varied preferences in learning approaches. For me, behaviorism resonates as the theory that best

aligns with my learning style. From my early years in school, I've found motivation and

effectiveness in reward-motivated environments, thriving under pressure and benefiting from

visual and hands-on learning methods.

Despite some criticisms, both behaviorism and Quizlet remain valuable tools in the

learning landscape, offering insights into effective learning strategies and providing accessible

resources for learners worldwide. By recognizing the strengths and limitations of these

approaches, educators and learners can leverage their benefits while supplementing them with

complementary methodologies to foster holistic and adaptive learning experiences.

Cherry, K. (2022, November 7). What is Behaviorism? Retrieved from Verywell Mind:

https://www.verywellmind.com/behavioral-psychology-4157183

Hough, L. (2018, May 22). Tool in School: Quizlet. Retrieved from Harvard Graduate School of

Education: https://www.gse.harvard.edu/ideas/ed-magazine/18/05/tool-school-quizlet

Introduction to Quizlet. (2022, June 9). Retrieved from DU Ed-Tech Knowledge Base:

https://otl.du.edu/knowledgebase/introduction-to-quizlet/