Kizilcec et al., 2017, Experiment 2-Affirmation: Affirming values increased course persistence among students from less-developed countries and increased completion rates among students from more developed countries
Reference:
Kizilcec, R. F., Saltarelli, A. J., Reich, J., & Cohen, G. L. (2017). Closing global achievement gaps in MOOCs. Science, 355(6322), 251-252.
Download PDFSummary:
Students enrolled a massive open online course (MOOC) related to US public policy completed a value-affirmation intervention modeled on Cohen et al., 2009 or a social-belonging intervention modeled on Walton & Cohen, 2011 embedded in the course. Among students from less-developed countries (e.g., India, Pakistan, Egypt), the interventions increased course persistence (amount of course material studied) and raised the completion rate by 51%. There was no effect for students from more developed countries.
Psychological Process:
What Desired Meaning is At Stake?
What is the Person Trying to Understand?
To See the Self as AdequateApproach to Desired Meaning
What about it?
Remedy Threats to Self-Integrity that Undermine FunctioningHow?
Psychological Question Addressed
Am I under threat, because could I be seen or treated negatively because of my group identity?Am I under threat, because could I be seen or treated negatively because of my group identity?Psychological Question Addressed
Am I under threat, because could I be seen or treated negatively because of my group identity?Psychological Process 2:
Psychological Process 3:
Social Area:
Education
Intervention Technique:
Increasing commitment through action, saying-is-believing