Boring but important: a self-transcendent purpose for learning fosters academic self-regulation. Journal Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • Many important learning tasks feel uninteresting and tedious to learners. This research proposed that promoting a prosocial, self-transcendent purpose could improve academic self-regulation on such tasks. This proposal was supported in 4 studies with over 2,000 adolescents and young adults. Study 1 documented a correlation between a self-transcendent purpose for learning and self-reported trait measures of academic self-regulation. Those with more of a purpose for learning also persisted longer on a boring task rather than giving in to a tempting alternative and, many months later, were less likely to drop out of college. Study 2 addressed causality. It showed that a brief, one-time psychological intervention promoting a self-transcendent purpose for learning could improve high school science and math grade point average (GPA) over several months. Studies 3 and 4 were short-term experiments that explored possible mechanisms. They showed that the self-transcendent purpose manipulation could increase deeper learning behavior on tedious test review materials (Study 3), and sustain self-regulation over the course of an increasingly boring task (Study 4). More self-oriented motives for learning--such as the desire to have an interesting or enjoyable career--did not, on their own, consistently produce these benefits (Studies 1 and 4).

publication date

  • October 1, 2014

has subject area

has restriction

  • green

Date in CU Experts

  • March 10, 2017 3:30 AM

Full Author List

  • Yeager DS; Henderson MD; Paunesku D; Walton GM; D'Mello S; Spitzer BJ; Duckworth AL

author count

  • 7

Other Profiles

Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)

  • 1939-1315

Additional Document Info

start page

  • 559

end page

  • 580

volume

  • 107

issue

  • 4