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| Research article summary (published 15 Apr 2009): |
Recursive processes in self-affirmation: intervening to close the minority achievement gap.
Full Abstract
A 2-year follow-up of a randomized field experiment previously reported in Science is presented. A subtle intervention to lessen minority students' psychological threat related to being negatively stereotyped in school was tested in an experiment conducted three times with three independent cohorts (N = 133, 149, and 134). The intervention, a series of brief but structured writing assignments focusing students on a self-affirming value, reduced the racial achievement gap. Over 2 years, the grade point average (GPA) of African Americans was, on average, raised by 0.24 grade points. Low-achieving African Americans were particularly benefited. Their GPA improved, on average, 0.41 points, and their rate of remediation or grade repetition was less (5% versus 18%). Additionally, treated students' self-perceptions showed long-term benefits. Findings suggest that because initial psychological states and performance determine later outcomes by providing a baseline and initial trajectory for a recursive process, apparently small but early alterations in trajectory can have long-term effects. Implications for psychological theory and educational practice are discussed.
Author information
Author/s: Cohen, Geoffrey L (GL); Garcia, Julio (J); Purdie-Vaughns, Valerie (V); Apfel, Nancy (N); Brzustoski, Patricia (P);
Affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Colorado, Muenzinger Psychology Building, Boulder, CO 80309-0345, USA. cohen.geoff(-atsign-)gmail.com
Journal and publication information
Publication Type: Journal Article; Randomized Controlled Trial; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Journal: Science (New York, N.Y.) (Science), published in United States. (Language: eng)
Reference: 2009-Apr; vol 324 (issue 5925) : pp 400-3
Dates: Created 2009/04/17; Completed 2009/04/29;
PMID: 19372432, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 4/29/2009, IMS Date: 29 Apr 2009 00:00:00)
Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.
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