Course outline
Module 1
Module 1: Foundations of Tech Addiction
Foundations of Tech Addiction
Knowledge check
Q1. Which term best describes a pattern of compulsive technology use that continues despite negative consequences to a person's health, relationships, or work?
- A. Digital literacy
- B. Problematic technology use
- C. Network latency
- D. Data minimization
Q2. In the context of app design, what is a 'variable reward' schedule?
- A. A fixed payment given to developers for each download
- B. Rewards delivered at unpredictable intervals, such as notifications or feed content, which can reinforce repeated checking
- C. A system that adjusts screen brightness based on the time of day
- D. A pricing model where users pay different amounts based on usage
Q3. Which design feature is most commonly associated with encouraging continuous scrolling?
- A. Clearly marked end points for each session
- B. Infinite scroll with no natural stopping point
- C. Mandatory breaks after fifteen minutes
- D. Limited content libraries that refresh weekly
Q4. What does the term 'persuasive technology' generally refer to?
- A. Software designed to change user behavior or attitudes, often toward a goal set by the designer
- B. Tools that only operate when users give explicit voice commands
- C. Encryption methods used to protect user passwords
- D. Hardware that is designed to last for many years without repair
Q5. Why is it important for designers to consider user well-being alongside engagement metrics?
- A. Engagement metrics are always inaccurate and should be ignored
- B. High engagement can mask harmful use patterns, so well-being measures help ensure products serve users rather than exploit them
- C. Well-being is only relevant for children's products
- D. Regulations require designers to avoid any form of user measurement
Module 2
Module 2: Persuasive Design and Engagement Loops
Persuasive Design and Engagement Loops
Knowledge check
Q1. What is a 'variable reward schedule' in the context of persuasive app design?
- A. A fixed reward given after the same number of actions every time
- B. Rewards delivered unpredictably, so users keep checking to see if something good will appear ✓
- C. A reward that is only available to paying subscribers
- D. A notification sent at the same time each day regardless of user behavior
Why: Variable rewards, borrowed from slot-machine psychology, are unpredictable in timing or size. This unpredictability drives repeated checking more effectively than fixed rewards, which is why it is central to many engagement loops.
Q2. Which element is typically part of the 'trigger - action - variable reward - investment' engagement loop?
- A. A user's explicit request to end their session
- B. An external or internal cue that prompts the user to open the app ✓
- C. A mandatory tutorial that must be completed before use
- D. A printed manual explaining the terms of service
Why: The engagement loop begins with a trigger, which can be external (a notification) or internal (boredom or anxiety that the app has become associated with relieving). The trigger initiates the action that the loop is designed to repeat.
Q3. What does 'infinite scroll' exploit from a design perspective?
- A. The user's need to save storage space on their device
- B. The absence of a natural stopping point, which removes cues that would otherwise prompt a user to stop ✓
- C. The user's preference for dark-mode interfaces
- D. Legal requirements for displaying all content on a page
Why: Pagination creates natural break points where people decide whether to continue. Infinite scroll removes these decision points, so users keep consuming content without a moment to reconsider, which can extend sessions well beyond what they intended.
Q4. Why do streaks (such as consecutive-day usage counters) increase engagement?
- A. They reduce the number of features available to the user
- B. They create loss aversion, so users return to avoid breaking a streak they have invested in ✓
- C. They are required by app store policies
- D. They automatically lower the app's data usage
Why: Streaks leverage loss aversion and commitment: once a user has built a visible sequence, breaking it feels like losing accumulated progress. This turns a habit into an obligation, which can keep people returning even when they no longer enjoy the activity.
Q5. Which practice would be considered a responsible design alternative to manipulative engagement loops?
- A. Sending push notifications every hour to maximize re-engagement
- B. Adding a 'you've been scrolling for a while' reminder or letting users set their own time limits ✓
- C. Hiding the option to turn off autoplay so sessions last longer
- D. Making the unsubscribe button difficult to find
Why: Friction-adding reminders and user-controlled limits give people agency over their own usage, aligning the product with user intent rather than exploiting compulsive patterns. The other options all work against user autonomy to increase time-on-app.
Module 3
Module 3: Attention Economics and Business Models
Attention Economics and Business Models
Knowledge check
Q1. In the attention economy, what is the primary product that technology companies sell to advertisers?
- A. Software licenses
- B. User attention
- C. Hardware devices
- D. Subscription access
Q2. Which business model most directly rewards platforms for keeping users engaged for longer periods?
- A. Flat-fee subscriptions with fixed usage limits
- B. Advertising revenue tied to impressions and time spent
- C. One-time paid app purchases
- D. Government grants for public services
Q3. What is meant by a 'variable reward' schedule in product design?
- A. Rewards that are always the same size and delivered on a fixed timetable
- B. Rewards delivered unpredictably, which can make users check repeatedly
- C. Rewards that only appear after a user pays money
- D. Rewards that are reduced as users spend more time on a platform
Q4. Why do engagement metrics such as daily active users and session length matter to many technology companies?
- A. They directly measure user happiness and wellbeing
- B. They are key indicators of advertising value and revenue potential
- C. They are required by law for all consumer software
- D. They determine how much electricity a device consumes
Q5. Which feature is an example of a design choice that can encourage compulsive use by reducing natural stopping points?
- A. Clearly labeled pagination with a defined end
- B. Infinite scroll that loads content continuously
- C. A prompt asking whether the user wants to take a break
- D. A notification summarizing weekly screen time
Module 4
Module 4: Psychology of Compulsive Use
Psychology of Compulsive Use
Knowledge check
Q1. Which term best describes a reward schedule in which rewards arrive after an unpredictable number of actions, a pattern commonly linked to compulsive app checking?
- A. Fixed-ratio reinforcement
- B. Variable-ratio reinforcement ✓
- C. Fixed-interval reinforcement
- D. Continuous reinforcement
Why: Variable-ratio reinforcement delivers rewards after an unpredictable number of responses. Because the timing of the next reward is uncertain, people tend to keep checking, which is why this schedule is associated with compulsive use of feeds and notifications.
Q2. What is the main function of a 'variable reward' in product design?
- A. To reduce the total time users spend on a product
- B. To make users feel anticipation and curiosity that drives repeated engagement ✓
- C. To ensure users always receive the same predictable outcome
- D. To lower the cost of server infrastructure
Why: Variable rewards, such as an uncertain set of likes or new messages, create anticipation and curiosity. This anticipation motivates repeated return visits, which is a central mechanism in engagement-focused design.
Q3. Which of the following is an example of a 'pull-to-refresh' or 'infinite scroll' feature in terms of psychology?
- A. A design that gives users a clear stopping point
- B. A design that removes natural stopping cues, making it harder to stop consuming content ✓
- C. A design that requires users to confirm each action
- D. A design that limits daily usage through timers
Why: Infinite scroll and similar features remove natural stopping cues such as the end of a page. Without these cues, users are less likely to decide to stop, which can extend sessions beyond what they intended.
Q4. What does the term 'habit loop' describe in the context of compulsive technology use?
- A. A cycle of cue, routine, and reward that can become automatic over time ✓
- B. A pattern of software updates released at regular intervals
- C. A type of network connection failure that repeats
- D. A financial model for subscription renewals
Why: The habit loop, popularized in behavioral research, consists of a cue that triggers a routine, followed by a reward. Repeated over time, the loop can make the behavior automatic, so people reach for their phones with little conscious decision.
Q5. Why might a person who uses a device compulsively still report wishing they used it less?
- A. Because they lack any actual reward from using the device
- B. Because compulsive use can conflict with a person's own goals and values, creating a gap between intention and behavior ✓
- C. Because devices always cause physical harm
- D. Because compulsive use only occurs in people who are unaware of their behavior
Why: Compulsive use often produces a gap between what a person intends to do and what they actually do. This conflict between short-term urges and long-term goals is a core feature of problematic technology use and is why many people express regret about their usage.
Module 5
Module 5: Impact on Youth and Vulnerable Users
Impact on Youth and Vulnerable Users
Knowledge check
Q1. Which developmental factor makes adolescents particularly vulnerable to the reward-driven features of social media?
- A. Fully mature impulse control in the prefrontal cortex
- B. A heightened sensitivity to social rewards such as likes and peer approval during a period of rapid brain development ✓
- C. A reduced sensitivity to dopamine compared to adults
- D. A preference for offline activities over digital ones
Why: Adolescent brains show heightened sensitivity to social reward and peer evaluation while the prefrontal regions that regulate impulses are still developing, which makes reward-driven design features especially influential for young users.
Q2. What is 'variable reward' in the context of app design?
- A. A reward that is always the same size so users know what to expect
- B. A reward delivered unpredictably, such as checking a feed where new content appears at irregular intervals, which can encourage repeated checking ✓
- C. A reward given only after a user completes a fixed number of tasks
- D. A discount offered to users who pay for premium features
Why: Variable reward schedules, borrowed from behavioral psychology, deliver rewards unpredictably. This unpredictability is associated with stronger and more persistent engagement behavior, which is why it is a key concern in discussions of compulsive app use.
Q3. Which design feature is most often cited as making it harder for users, especially minors, to stop using an app?
- A. Clear onboarding tutorials
- B. Accessibility settings for screen readers
- C. Infinite scroll, which removes natural stopping points from the interface ✓
- D. Dark mode options
Why: Infinite scroll removes natural endpoints such as the bottom of a page, so users are not prompted to pause. Researchers and policymakers frequently cite it as a feature that can extend sessions beyond what users intended.
Q4. Why do many child-safety advocates argue that age verification and default privacy settings matter for vulnerable youth?
- A. They increase the amount of data a platform can collect from children
- B. They reduce exposure to harmful content and manipulative design by limiting who can contact a minor and how their activity is amplified ✓
- C. They guarantee that children will spend more time on the platform
- D. They remove the need for parental involvement entirely
Why: Protective defaults, such as private accounts for minors and limits on unsolicited contact, reduce the risks that vulnerable users face. Advocates argue that because many young users never change default settings, the defaults themselves carry significant responsibility.
Q5. Which group of users is generally considered vulnerable to technology-related harms beyond children and adolescents?
- A. Users who have a strong preference for a single device brand
- B. Individuals with existing mental health conditions, who may be more susceptible to compulsive use and to content that worsens their symptoms ✓
- C. Users who only access the internet on weekends
- D. Adults who work in software engineering
Why: People with pre-existing anxiety, depression, ADHD, or other conditions may be more affected by compulsive engagement patterns and by content that amplifies negative mood or comparison. Responsible design considers these users alongside minors.
Module 6
Module 6: Ethical Responsibilities of Designers
Ethical Responsibilities of Designers
Knowledge check
Q1. Which of the following best describes the core ethical responsibility of a product designer when building digital products that users interact with frequently?
- A. To maximize daily active users at any cost, since engagement is the primary measure of product success
- B. To consider the well-being of users and avoid designing features that exploit psychological vulnerabilities for engagement
- C. To follow only the legal requirements of the jurisdictions where the product is sold
- D. To leave decisions about screen time entirely to the individual user without any design considerations
Q2. What is a 'variable reward' schedule, and why is it ethically concerning in product design?
- A. A pricing model that changes based on user location, which can lead to unfair charges
- B. A reinforcement pattern where rewards arrive unpredictably, which can drive compulsive checking behavior similar to gambling mechanics
- C. A system that gives users different rewards based on their age, which raises privacy concerns
- D. A feature that randomly changes the app's layout, which mainly causes accessibility problems
Q3. Infinite scroll is a common design pattern. Why do critics raise ethical concerns about it?
- A. It requires more server storage than paginated content, increasing environmental costs
- B. It removes natural stopping cues, making it harder for users to decide when to stop consuming content
- C. It makes content harder to search for, which reduces information access
- D. It is incompatible with mobile devices, which makes it inaccessible to most users
Q4. Which design practice is most commonly recommended to support healthier user decision-making?
- A. Hiding privacy and settings options so users focus on content instead
- B. Sending frequent push notifications to ensure users never miss updates
- C. Providing users with meaningful controls, such as usage reminders or the ability to disable autoplay
- D. Making account deletion difficult so users are less likely to leave
Q5. What does the term 'dark pattern' refer to in the context of digital design?
- A. Interface designs that use dark color themes to reduce eye strain
- B. Deceptive or manipulative interface choices that steer users toward outcomes they might not otherwise choose
- C. Design techniques used only in unreleased or experimental products
- D. Visual elements intended exclusively for users with low vision
Module 7
Module 7: Regulation, Policy and Healthier Design
Regulation, Policy and Healthier Design
Knowledge check
Q1. Which of the following is a commonly proposed regulatory approach to reduce compulsive use of digital products?
- A. Requiring companies to publish their source code
- B. Restricting or banning certain design features for minors, such as autoplay or infinite scroll
- C. Mandating that all apps charge a subscription fee
- D. Limiting the number of apps a user may install on a device
Q2. What is the main purpose of 'friction' in healthier product design?
- A. To make the product slower so it uses less battery
- B. To add small pauses or steps that give users a moment to reconsider an impulsive action
- C. To increase the number of ads shown to the user
- D. To prevent users from customizing their settings
Q3. Which design feature is most often criticized for encouraging prolonged, unintentional use because it removes natural stopping cues?
- A. Dark mode
- B. Two-factor authentication
- C. Infinite scroll
- D. Keyboard shortcuts
Q4. Why do many policy experts argue that self-regulation by technology companies alone is insufficient?
- A. Companies lack the technical skills to change their products
- B. Commercial incentives, such as maximizing engagement and advertising revenue, can conflict with user wellbeing
- C. Users never want to change their habits
- D. Governments are legally forbidden from regulating software
Q5. Which of the following is an example of a 'healthier default' in product design?
- A. Notifications turned on for every activity by default
- B. Autoplay of the next video enabled by default
- C. Daily screen-time summaries and usage limits turned off by default
- D. Quiet hours or notification batching enabled by default for new users