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Grasha-Riechmann Learning Styles: Which one are you!?

Knowing your unique learning style is a key part of college success.

By the time we check into our dorm for freshman year, most of us have started to form some general
ideas about the types of situations where we learn best. Maybe you’re an independent learner and
struggle in group settings. Or maybe you find it hard to master concepts until you apply them yourself.

But how can you succeed if your college studies frequently take you out of your comfort zone?

In this article, we’ll show you how to do just that. We’ll be talking about the Grasha-Riechmann Learning
Styles and how you can apply your style to thrive in any situation.

First, we’ll look at what learning styles are.

What’s a Learning Style?

Many studies have shown that different people learn and process information in different ways. That’s
partly why instructors so frequently assign group projects—and why students so commonly dread them.
Working in groups gives you a taste of working together in teams in post-college life. Different learning
styles meet in what can sometimes feel like an episode of Survivor: College Edition.

But knowing your own learning style and being able to identify those of other people can help not just
your personal success, but the success of your whole team. And maybe keep you from getting voted off
the island.

So just what is a learning style?

In simple terms, a learning style is a way of putting into words how you learn and what your strengths
and weaknesses might be because of it.

Knowing your learning style lets you adapt to different situations so that you learn better, enjoy them
more, and are less frustrated. Being able to verbalize your learning style in a tough situation can help
resolve and prevent conflict as well!

The best part?

It’s not difficult to figure out your learning style. Just take the quick quiz below then keep your answers
in mind as you continue reading. We won’t tell you exactly which Grasha-Riechmann Learning Styles you
are, but these questions are designed to help you think critically about your own experiences and past
learning habits.

Quiz: Your Personal Learning Style

Do you prefer:

A. Working alone

B. Collaborating on a project

How do you feel about group projects?

A. Love them

B. Hate them
When learning a new subject, would you rather:

A. Have someone teach you their tips and tricks

B. Discover your own methods

Do you prefer:

A. Rigid structure and order

B. Flexibility to do things your own way

Which of these options better suits your behavior?

A. Obligated to get the most out of a course at any cost

B. Binge watching Netflix and then downloading the PowerPoint slides the night before the test

In group projects do you prefer getting a grade based on:

A. The strength and amount of effort put into your individual portion of the project
B. The overall merit and success of your group’s project

Do you find yourself:

A. Being constantly driven to be smarter and better than your peers

B. Not very concerned with how well your peers are performing

Okay, got your answers ready? Now let’s continue and look at how they translate into learning styles.

What Are The Grasha-Riechmann Learning Styles?

In this article, we’re focusing on a specific theory of learning styles called the Grasha-Riechmann Student
Learning Styles Scale (GRSLSS). The Grasha scales were developed to quantify the personal differences
between learners specifically at the undergraduate level and above.

They take into account both mental and physical behaviors of students to give the best results. Many
other systems may only divide learners into two or three groups…

…but the Grasha scales use 6!

Because of this, the scale is more personalized to the individual. However, bear in mind that most people
identify with more than one group. While you’ll typically have one dominant style, elements of others
may apply as well.
Grasha-Riechmann Learning Styles

Style Thrives on… Description

Dependent Structure and Clarity Dependent learners seek structure and learn best when given
clear instructions, outlines, study guides, and tasks to tackle. Dependent learners are most often
frustrated when their environment is chaotic, they are tested on information not directly addressed in
class, and when the class is not teacher-oriented.

Participant Structure and Interaction Participant learners are dutiful in their studies, feeling
obligated to get as much out of a class as possible. These students will attend office hours, be the first to
throw up a hand to answer a question, and thrive when the classroom is centered on the teacher.
Participant learners are frustrated when work is too independent, there’s no opportunity for self-
learning, and when there’s a lack of structure to participate in.

Collaborative Interaction and Harmony Students with a collaborative learning style believe the
best learning happens through interpersonal interactions. These are the students who thrive in group
discussions, group projects, and seminars. Collaborative learners are irritated when group members
can’t work together without conflict, when projects are always individual, and when classes are solely
lecture-based.

Independent Freedom and Individual Responsibility Independent learners prefer to work alone.
They prefer to be able to choose the direction and structure of their work, lead groups if they have to be
in them, and require minimal instruction from their teachers. These people are frustrated by overbearing
instruction and lengthy group projects.

Avoidant Shared Responsibility and Group Work These students don’t enjoy the structure of a
classroom. They’re more likely to do anything other than learn in a classroom. Avoidant learners prefer
classes without an attendance policy, shared responsibility, and group grades. They don’t like classes that
are time intensive or require a lot of work.

Competitive Recognition and Individual Responsibility Competitive learners are motivated by

their desire to be better than others academically or otherwise. These people often get a thrill from a
very high grade or a won debate. These students often lead groups, enjoy discussions, and like
recognition. They are frustrated when they aren’t challenged, when they get a bad grade, or when
there’s no opportunity to compete with their peers.

So Now What?
After answering the above quiz questions and reading the descriptions of each learning style, where do
you think you fit?

These scales have three main spectrums:

Avoidant vs. Participant

Independent vs. Dependent

Collaborative vs. Competitive

Think about these three key differences. Do you participate in class, or do you minimize the time you
spend there? Do you like to do your own thing, or would you rather someone hand you a to-do list? Are
you seeking personal recognition or group results?

Each end of these three spectrums has its place and importance. If you know where you fall along them,
you can better plan your groups and time spent learning.

How Do You Apply This?

Now that you know your learning style, what you’re good at, and what may irritate you, you can tailor
your learning more to your needs.

If you’re a very independent learner, it wouldn’t behoove you to take a class with a professor who has
very specific and hands-on ways of completing assignments. Find out about teaching styles and
assignments from students who have taken the class before. If you know you’re an avoidant learner,
maybe opt for an online class where you can choose when to work and how much you want to interact
with other students.
Also, knowing the basics of different learning styles can help you in other ways. When it comes time to
pick group members for a project, opt for people who have different learning styles that may
complement each other.

If you’re a participant learner, you may want to pick a collaborative learner to work with so that you’re
able to incorporate that strength. On the other hand, if you’re very disorganized, you may not want to
choose a dependent learner to work with because the lack of structure may lead to group conflict.

What now? Use it!

The next time you work on a task or choose a class, consider your learning style and choose what will
come to you most naturally!

We’ve only been able to cover the highlights of the Grasha-Riechmann scale here, but if you’d like to take
a much more detailed learning styles test, visit this site.

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One thought on “Grasha-Riechmann Learning Styles: Which one are you!?”

Anonymous says:

January 24, 2018 at 9:20 pm

great article

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