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Displayed enthusiasm attracts attention and improves recall
Author(s) -
Moè Angelica,
Frenzel Anne C.,
Au Lik,
Taxer Jamie L.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
british journal of educational psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.557
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 2044-8279
pISSN - 0007-0998
DOI - 10.1111/bjep.12399
Subject(s) - enthusiasm , psychology , active listening , recall , task (project management) , cognitive psychology , social psychology , communication , management , economics
Background Instructor enthusiasm has been shown to enhance a range of positive student outcomes including recall, but the underlying mechanisms for the favourable effects of teacher enthusiasm are still largely unknown. Aims We hypothesized that attention paid to the instructor is one mechanism and that the positive effects of enthusiasm will disappear when attention is captured by another task. Samples In a series of three studies, we involved fourth and fifth graders in listening to texts read aloud with high or low levels of displayed enthusiasm. Methods In Study 1, we obtained self‐reported and observed behavioural indicators of attention while students were read texts with high versus low enthusiasm. In Study 2, we additionally manipulated attention by comparing a group who performed a concurrent attentional task while listening to the texts read with high or low enthusiasm to a group who only listened to the texts. In Study 3, we compared the attention‐catching concurrent task used in Study 2 to a non‐attention‐catching dual task. Results and Conclusions Our results confirm that displayed enthusiasm captures attention and that attention partially explains the positive effect of displayed enthusiasm on recall.