TY - JOUR
T1 - The ebb and flow of learning motivation
T2 - The differentiated impact of the implicit theory of intelligence on learning behaviors
AU - Rigolizzo, Michele
AU - Zhu, Zhu
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.
PY - 2021/9/1
Y1 - 2021/9/1
N2 - Motivating employees to initiate, and continue to engage in, both formal and informal learning is a key challenge within human resources development (HRD). Research on the implicit theory of intelligence lends insight into this challenge by showing almost exclusively positive effects of having an incremental theory, wherein individuals associate ability with effort, on the motivation to learn. However, we propose that the motivation to learn may ebb and flow throughout the process of learning, and that the impact of the implicit theory of intelligence may be different for different learning behaviors. This study experimentally examines the differentiated effect of the implicit theory intelligence on five key learning behaviors that are required to develop new skills. They are taking on a challenge, paying attention to new information, elaborating on that information, practice with feedback, and reflection. Using data from an experimental study of 511 managers in the United States and direct measures of each of the five learning behaviors, this study provides evidence that priming participants to associate effort with ability increases the likelihood that they will set challenging goals and practice with feedback, but makes them less likely to reflect. These findings provide insight for how HRD professionals can more purposefully construct learning interventions to account for multiple behaviors and changes in motivation.
AB - Motivating employees to initiate, and continue to engage in, both formal and informal learning is a key challenge within human resources development (HRD). Research on the implicit theory of intelligence lends insight into this challenge by showing almost exclusively positive effects of having an incremental theory, wherein individuals associate ability with effort, on the motivation to learn. However, we propose that the motivation to learn may ebb and flow throughout the process of learning, and that the impact of the implicit theory of intelligence may be different for different learning behaviors. This study experimentally examines the differentiated effect of the implicit theory intelligence on five key learning behaviors that are required to develop new skills. They are taking on a challenge, paying attention to new information, elaborating on that information, practice with feedback, and reflection. Using data from an experimental study of 511 managers in the United States and direct measures of each of the five learning behaviors, this study provides evidence that priming participants to associate effort with ability increases the likelihood that they will set challenging goals and practice with feedback, but makes them less likely to reflect. These findings provide insight for how HRD professionals can more purposefully construct learning interventions to account for multiple behaviors and changes in motivation.
KW - adult learning
KW - critical reflection
KW - employee development
KW - evidence-based HRD
KW - informal learning
KW - learning activities/methods
KW - motivation to learn
KW - self-directed learning
KW - workplace learning
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85102563100&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/hrdq.21425
DO - 10.1002/hrdq.21425
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85102563100
SN - 1044-8004
VL - 32
SP - 273
EP - 299
JO - Human Resource Development Quarterly
JF - Human Resource Development Quarterly
IS - 3
ER -