5.1 Probability of Success

Question 1

Self-efficacy study

Answer 1

Self-efficacy: A person’s belief in their capacity to execute behaviours necessary to produce specific outcomes. This related to the Retrieval vs Concept Mapping study (people thought concept maps were better, but it wasn’t). Measured actual performance and judgement of learning.

Question: Do complicated motor task. A pursuit rotor tracking task (moving target on screen)

Protocol: Initial Trial, then 3 performance trials. Given a chance to continue of interested (to measure interest)

Conditions: 2
Inherent (I): Told that the task measures an inherent aptitude. Something you either have or you don’t.
Acquirable (A): Told that the task involves a learnable skill

Measuring: Perceived self-efficacy, Actual performance, Interest level

Conclusion:
Change in self-efficacy: I higher than A for first 2 trials. A higher than I after first 2 trials. A always increase. I decrease after first 2 trials

Change in performance: Both increase, but A always higher than I. I plateaus a bit.
I group has negative thoughts. A is positive thoughts and have sense of control

Question 2

The power of believing that you can improve

Answer 2

Frame of mind determines a lot on how we experience things and our ability to learn and improve

Question 3

Unprompted Elaboration Study

Answer 3

Conditions: Smart vs Dumb students

Result: Smart makes elaboration that relate unconnected terms. Dumb makes less specific elaborations. Smart did better

In a 2nd experiment, dumb went though a training phase in which they were prompted to elaborate. They improved significantly and caught up.

Being smart or dumb is not fixed. We have the ability to learn if we practice and train with good techniques.