Gritty Is as Gritty Does: Mentoring Interventions That Build Grit

• In Event: What Is True About Grit: Relations With Self-Regulation and Motivation and New Innovative Interventions

Abstract

Objectives and Scholarly Significance

Grit, the disposition to pursue long-term goals with passion and perseverance (Duckworth et al., 2007), predicts success over and beyond measures of intelligence or talent in different areas. To date, researchers have not yet determined how—or whether—grit can be cultivated, a gap addressed in the present studies. We test a novel grit mentor intervention aimed at encouraging grit in individuals. Specifically, we assess whether appointing individuals as grit mentors to others improves mentors’ goal commitment, persistence, and overall performance, three downstream correlates of grit.

Theoretical Framework

Our intervention approach was informed by Bem’s (1972) self-perception theory, in which he posits that individuals deduce beliefs and attitudes from their behavior, just as an outsider would. Empirical research supports the hypothesis: Individuals who advocate a range of pro-social actions to others (e.g., water conservation, recycling) come to perceive themselves as the sort of people who support such behaviors and subsequently, become much more likely to enact them (Aronson, Fried & Stone, 1991; Dickerson et al., 1992; Pallak, Cook, & Sullivan, 1980). The current investigation examines whether advocacy can encourage a new outcome: grit-related behavior.

Methods

We conducted six random-assignment, placebo-controlled, double blind, online interventions. In each study, participants in the treatment condition mentored others on grit-related topics (e.g., how to persevere through setbacks). In contrast, participants in the control condition mentored others on topics unrelated to grit (e.g., how to choose one’s hobbies).

Data Sources, Evidence, Objects, or Materials

We aimed to encourage gritty behavior in a number of different populations: smokers trying to quit smoking (N = 98, Mage = 31.52, 32.7% female), unemployed individuals on the job market (N = 220, Mage = 31.64, 46.8% female), students in middle school (N = 546, 48.4% female), and at-risk students in community college (N = 46, 67.4% female).

Change in grit was assessed by measuring changes in the attitudes and behaviors grit has been shown to effect in past research: remaining committed to one’s goals (Duckworth et al., 2007), exerting effort in pursuing one’s goals (Duckworth et al., 2011), and performing at high levels (Duckworth et al., 2007; Duckworth et al., 2011).

Results

Smokers and unemployed individuals who served as grit mentors subsequently reported higher commitment to their goals. Middle school students appointed as grit mentors improved their performance on challenging academic tasks immediately thereafter, and lower-achieving students increased their persistence on difficult math problems up to three weeks later. Finally, in a small sample of struggling community college students, individuals who served as grit mentors were rated higher on academic preparedness, goal setting, and collegiate interactions over the following month.

Discussion

The findings of the current investigation provide compelling evidence that grit can be encouraged—and that it can be encouraged without being explicitly taught. Indeed, simply serving as a grit mentor increased goal commitment, persistence, and performance. Implications of these results for future grit interventions will be discussed.

Authors

• Lauren Eskreis-Winkler

• Angela L. Duckworth, University of Pennsylvania