Coursera
Coursera offers university-level courses with video lectures, readings, and graded assignments. The structure mirrors a real class with weekly modules and deadlines.
Why this score
Course structure provides natural pacing and completion points. Assignments require genuine cognitive effort. No algorithmic feed, no social comparison.
Push notifications for deadlines and course recommendations exist but aren't aggressive.
The breakdown
- Attention Capture2.0
Mechanics designed to keep you in the app right now — infinite scroll, autoplay, variable rewards, and reactive swipe-tap loops.
- Habit Formation3.0
Mechanics designed to bring you back — streak coercion, default push notifications, and re-engagement of dormant users.
- Social Pressure1.0
How much the experience exploits social psychology — public metrics, profile curation, and status comparison against others.
- Time Theft2.0
Mechanics that steal more time than you intended to give — no stopping cues, short units, and 'just one more' loops.
- Cognitive Erosion1.0
Mechanics that replace your independent thinking, memory, or judgment — creating dependency on the tool to function.
- Cognitive Nourishment7.0
Whether the app actively strengthens your ability to think for yourself. Shown on the label, but it does not affect the score.