PSYC 101
Liberty University
PSYC 101: General Psychology
If I were to lead a Freshman Seminar and I were to give them advice on strategies for studying, I
would start off by telling them the number one element to a productive studying or working
environment is the elimination of distractions. It is optimal to utilize a space with no tv, although I set
my desk up in my room with my back facing the tv. Eliminate the use of your cell phone and leave it
on silent or do not disturb for the duration of your study session. It is important to, “Try to maximize
pleasant unconditioned stimuli in their classrooms. This might involve making sure learners are
comfortable, that surroundings are colorful and upbeat, and that no individual is faced with
overwhelming demands. At the same time, teachers need to minimize the unpleas-ant aspects of being
a student to reduce the number and potency of negative unconditioned stimuli in the classroom”
(George et al., 2015, 180). Next, as well as you can, set up a schedule and set allotted times during
the day for you to study, this will help you avoid procrastination. Importantly, take breaks every hour
or two during your study session to help you maintain focus and motivation. While distractions are
not optimal, studying to classical music has proven in studies to help students, not hurt them. Lastly,
I would recommend that they find the best style of studying to suit themselves. Not everyone does
well just reading from textbooks. Take notes, use flash cards, visual mediums, anything to help you
retain information. After determining which style fits them best, I suggest they use these sources to
convert this information into short term, then long term memory using repetition, also known as
rehearsal.
While many people have no problem multitasking in their day to day lives, I would advise
against multitasking during studying. Unfortunately, “As people try to multitask, their cognitive
resources get “stretched” to their maximum ability, which interferes with performance as well as results
in more rapid fatigue. Multitasking also requires cognitive shifts from one source or activity to another.
Liberty University
PSYC 101: General Psychology
If I were to lead a Freshman Seminar and I were to give them advice on strategies for studying, I
would start off by telling them the number one element to a productive studying or working
environment is the elimination of distractions. It is optimal to utilize a space with no tv, although I set
my desk up in my room with my back facing the tv. Eliminate the use of your cell phone and leave it
on silent or do not disturb for the duration of your study session. It is important to, “Try to maximize
pleasant unconditioned stimuli in their classrooms. This might involve making sure learners are
comfortable, that surroundings are colorful and upbeat, and that no individual is faced with
overwhelming demands. At the same time, teachers need to minimize the unpleas-ant aspects of being
a student to reduce the number and potency of negative unconditioned stimuli in the classroom”
(George et al., 2015, 180). Next, as well as you can, set up a schedule and set allotted times during
the day for you to study, this will help you avoid procrastination. Importantly, take breaks every hour
or two during your study session to help you maintain focus and motivation. While distractions are
not optimal, studying to classical music has proven in studies to help students, not hurt them. Lastly,
I would recommend that they find the best style of studying to suit themselves. Not everyone does
well just reading from textbooks. Take notes, use flash cards, visual mediums, anything to help you
retain information. After determining which style fits them best, I suggest they use these sources to
convert this information into short term, then long term memory using repetition, also known as
rehearsal.
While many people have no problem multitasking in their day to day lives, I would advise
against multitasking during studying. Unfortunately, “As people try to multitask, their cognitive
resources get “stretched” to their maximum ability, which interferes with performance as well as results
in more rapid fatigue. Multitasking also requires cognitive shifts from one source or activity to another.
