Effects of Rationale on Motivation and Performance: A Meta-Analysis

• In Event: Poster Session 9
  In Poster Session: Motivation, Engagement, and Identity

Abstract

A meta-analysis of 23 experimental studies examined the effect of rationale on value, autonomous motivation, engagement and performance compared to a control condition. Results suggest that rationale enhances subjective task value, autonomous motivation, engagement and performance to a small to moderate extent (d=.13 to d=.34) under both fixed and random effects assumptions. Moderator analyses suggest that rationales are most effective (a) when the rationale is prosocial or autonomous compared to controlling (for three outcomes), (b) for samples with a high proportion of females compared to a low proportion of females (for three outcomes), and (c) for uninteresting tasks compared to tasks not described as uninteresting (for two outcomes). Implications for theory, future research, and practice are discussed.

Authors

• Rebecca Rose Steingut, The University of Texas - Austin

• Erika Alisha Patall, The University of Texas - Austin

• Scott Stephen Trimble, The University of Texas - Austin