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THE HORIZON
SECTION 20
ISSUE 001
PROJECTIONhypothesis6-12mconfidence / medium
Friction Improves Delayed Retention
Hypothesis: making a learner attempt an answer before AI help will improve unaided retention by at least ten percent after four weeks. Run randomized trials across subjects, track frustration and dropout, and reject the claim if the interval excludes the effect. Useful friction should survive measurement, not merely sound pedagogically virtuous.
Why this idea is here
What the evidence establishes.
Existing randomized studies identify both structured-tutor gains and cognitive-crutch risks, providing a basis for a stronger preregistered test.
Source ledger
Read the sources.
- S01Enhancing School Students’ Self-Regulated Learning Through Generative AI Support
peer-reviewed randomized trial / dated 2026 / retrieved 2026-07-09
- S02ChatGPT as a Cognitive Crutch: Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial
peer-reviewed randomized trial / dated 2025 / retrieved 2026-07-09