17: OCR Development - Blackwell et al study

The study took place over 5 years. This means it was what kind of study?

• experimental

• longitudinal

• observational

• reliable

Study 1: At the start of 7th grade, students completed a (a)   questionnaire, which used a rating scale to measure each student's theory of intelligence, learning goals, effort beliefs and response to failure.

Study 1: There was NO correlation between mindset and test scores in the spring of 8th grade - true or false?

• True

• False

Answer explanation

By the autumn term of 7th grade and spring term at 8th grade, mindset was a significant predictor of maths scores.

Study 2: independent variable?

• intervention or no intervention

• good or not good at maths

• motivated or not motivated

• growth or fixed mindset

Answer explanation

Although they were hoping to teach the intervention group to have growth mindset and to be motivated, the IV was whether the children were in the intervention group or not.

Study 2: the intervention group were taught that learning changes the brain. The control group were taught about (a)  

The intervention group and the control group got similar scores on their maths tests - true or false?

• true

• false

Answer explanation

The intervention group got higher scores than at the start; some of the control group's scores got worse.

The sample were all from the 7th and 8th grade; therefore it had (a)   bias.

Study 2 showed that mindset and achievement are linked in all subjects - true or false?

• true

• false

Answer explanation

It only looked at the effect of mindset on maths, so it can't be generalised to other subjects.

Study 2 used an independent group design. Therefore the differences in results may be due to which type of variables?

(a)  

Study 2: What is a weakness of Blackwell et al's method?

• lower ecological validity

• lower control of extraneous variables

• order effects

• demand characteristics

Answer explanation

It was a field experiment - in a real-world setting - therefore not as easy to control extraneous variables