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Displayed enthusiasm attracts attention and improves recall
Angelica Moè1, Anne C Frenzel2, Lik Au2
1Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Italy.
The British Journal of Educational Psychology
|December 16, 2020
Summary
Instructor enthusiasm boosts student recall by capturing attention. When attention is diverted, the positive effects of enthusiasm on learning diminish, suggesting attention is a key mechanism.
Area of Science:
- Educational Psychology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Instructor enthusiasm positively impacts student outcomes like recall.
- The precise mechanisms behind teacher enthusiasm's benefits remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if student attention to the instructor mediates the positive effects of enthusiasm.
- To test if these positive effects disappear when attention is divided by a concurrent task.
Main Methods:
- Three studies were conducted with fourth and fifth graders exposed to texts read with varying levels of instructor enthusiasm.
- Attention was measured through self-reports and behavioral observation, and manipulated using concurrent tasks designed to capture or not capture attention.
Main Results:
- Displayed instructor enthusiasm effectively captured students' attention.
- The positive impact of enthusiasm on recall was partially mediated by the level of attention paid to the instructor.
Conclusions:
- Student attention is a crucial mechanism through which instructor enthusiasm enhances learning outcomes.
- Educational strategies should consider how to maintain student attention to maximize the benefits of enthusiastic teaching.
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