Notes on Gunderson et al. (2013) Study of Parent Praise and Children's Motivation

Key Terms

• Framework: A basic understanding of ideas and facts used for decision-making.
• Person Praise: Praise directed at the individual rather than their actions.
• Process Praise: Praise focused on the individual's actions or behaviors.
• Entity Theory/Motivational Framework: Belief that behavior or ability is determined by a person's innate nature.
• Incremental Theory/Motivational Framework: Belief that effort influences behavior and ability, which can be developed.
• Ecological Validity: Relevance of research findings to real-life situations.

Background to the Study

Research indicates that different types of parental praise significantly affect children’s beliefs about their abilities and efforts. Studies show that praising effort rather than inherent talent fosters a growth mindset, which aligns with Carol Dweck's mindset theory. Dweck's theory asserts that recognition of effort leads children to perceive skills as improvable.

Types of Praise

• Person Praise: May lead children to adopt a fixed mindset, viewing abilities as innate and unchangeable, potentially causing them to abandon challenging tasks.
• Process Praise: Encourages a growth mindset by linking effort to success, leading children to believe that their abilities can improve through perseverance.

aims of Gunderson et al. (2013) Study

1. Investigate the impact of different parental praise types in a natural setting.
2. Examine if girls receive less process praise compared to boys.
3. Assess if early praise types predict children's reasoning about motivation and ability five years later.

Methodology

The longitudinal study followed 29 boys and 24 girls, observing parental praise at ages 14, 26, and 38 months and correlating this with children's beliefs about motivation five years later. The sample included 64% white, 17% African-American, 11% Hispanic, and 8% multiracial participants.

Conclusion

Understanding the implications of different praise types can provide valuable insights into the development of children’s motivational frameworks and their future academic and personal achievement. Gender differences in receiving praise are identified as an essential area for further psychological research.

Important Considerations

• Ecological validity is crucial; findings from artificial settings may not reflect real-world behaviors.
• Notable gender differences in praise outcomes warrant further investigation to understand their long-term impact on motivation and academic orientation.