Persistence Following Differential Failure

ABSTRACT

In this study, I examined the effect of failure (defined normatively) on subsequent persistence on an achievement task. Subjects were given two successive tasks described as measures of intelligence. Both tasks were unsolvable. However, subjects were given descriptions of one of two (normative) difficulty levels (i.e., most subjects could solve the tasks or most subjects could not solve the task) for the priming and target tasks. Results showed that persistence on the target task was greatest if both the prime and target tasks were described as moderately easy. Persistence on the target tak was least if both prime and target tasks were described as highly difficult.