On 18 Mar 2005, Todd Nelson wrote: > Colleagues, > > Over the years, I remember reading several studies (now, for the life of me, > I cannot recall any of them) that use a common tactic to enhance the > participant's motivation to do well on the task: to tell them that the task > is a measure or indicator of the participant's overall intellectual ability > (i.e., an IQ test). > > Can any of you (with better memories) give me one (or more) references to > studies that used such a tactic?
A classic one is the need achievement study of McClelland and et al (1949). Subjects were given a number of tasks to complete and then self-scored their performance. Then they were told they had taken an IQ test, and given fake norms that indicated that they were all dunces. Need for achievement skyrocketed. Well, ok, it went up, but I don't know by how much [try getting that study past an IRB today]. Not exactly what you asked for, but your query also brings to mind a hilarious study (Buss and Portnoy, 1967) in which subjects' pain tolerance was measured by increasing electric shock. They tested good old Americans at the height of the Cold War, and after they tested them, told them that a group of Russians (those dirty Commies) did much better. Guess what. On the next go-around, the red-blooded Americans showed much greater tolerance. If I remember the study correctly, telling them Canadians did better had no effect. Sigh! Stephen McClelland, D. et al (1949). The projective expression of needs: IV. The effect of the need for achievement on thematic appreception. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 39, 242-255. Buss, A.& Portnoy, N. (1967). Pain tolerance and group identification. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 6, 106- 108. ___________________________________________________ Stephen L. Black, Ph.D. tel: (819) 822-9600 ext 2470 Department of Psychology fax: (819) 822-9661 Bishop's University e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Lennoxville, QC J1M 1Z7 Canada Dept web page at http://www.ubishops.ca/ccc/div/soc/psy TIPS discussion list for psychology teachers at http://faculty.frostburg.edu/psyc/southerly/tips/index.htm _______________________________________________ --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
