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Cited by 107Learning Styles and Cognitive DifferencesNeuroscience, Education and Cognitive FunctionEvaluation of Teaching Practices

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Learning Styles, Preferences, or Strategies? An Explanation for the Resurgence of Styles Across Many Meta-analyses

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Hattie, John, O’Leary, Timothy·2025·Educational Psychology Review
DOI 10.1007/s10648-025-10002-w
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Abstract

The persistence of learning styles as a concept in educational discourse and research is paradoxical, given the overwhelming evidence discrediting the matching hypothesis, the notion that aligning teaching methods with students’ preferred learning styles enhances achievement. This paper examines the resurgence of learning styles across meta-analyses and proposes an explanation for their enduring appeal. Drawing on 17 meta-analyses, we distinguish between studies testing the matching hypothesis (effect size d = .04) and correlational studies (average correlation r = .24), revealing that the latter often conflates learning styles with learning strategies. Much of the research is flawed, and the argument is that there needs to be a shift away from matching learning styles toward teaching students adaptable and effective learning strategies that align more closely with task complexity and learning goals.

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Metadata

Authors
Hattie, J., & O’Leary, T.
Affiliations
The University of Melbourne (AU)
Corresponding author
Hattie, John
ORCID
Venue
Educational Psychology Review
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2025-04-01
Volume
37
Issue
2
ISSN
  • 1040-726X (ISSN-L)
  • 1573-336X
DOI
10.1007/s10648-025-10002-w
OpenAlex
W4409129903
Cited by
107
References
4
Citations by year
2026: 71 · 2025: 35
FWCI
90.48
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Educational Psychology Review (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Minerva Access (University of Melbourne) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
University of Melbourne
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Learning Styles and Cognitive Differences
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neuroscience, Education and Cognitive Function
  • Social Sciences › Education › Evaluation of Teaching Practices
Keywords
learning styles, matching hypothesis, learning strategies, meta-analysis, teaching methods, academic performance, task complexity, learning objectives, research validity, educational research trends

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