Differential achievement motivation after failure

Mark Durham Kroll, Purdue University

Abstract

This study was designed to examine the effects of failure and differential ego-threat on persistence in a subsequent achievement task. Subjects were required to work on two achievement tasks presented as intelligence measures. Both were highly difficult/unsolvable. To induce different types of failure on task 1, subjects were led to believe either that they had failed on a task that was normatively moderately easy (one most students could do) or was normatively highly difficult (one few students could do). Subjects then were presented with a second task. To induce differential ego-threat for target task 2, subjects were led to believe either that the task was normatively moderately easy or normatively highly difficult. The results showed that greater persistence on task 2 followed failure on task 1 that was described as normatively moderately easy. Moreover, the trend for persistence on task 2 was greater if task 2 was described as normatively moderately easy. These findings suggest that subsequent persistence is enhanced if a prior failure suggests below average ability on a valued task. Moreover, persistence is enhanced if further failure on the subsequent task would suggest below average ability. The overall findings of the present study suggested that it was primarily the dynamics of ego-threat in failure, rather than egotism or outcome expectancies, that mediated subjects' persistence on task 2.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Nicholls, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Psychology

COinS