TY - JOUR
T1 - Assignment choice, effort, and assignment completion
T2 - Does work ethic predict those who choose higher-effort assignments?
AU - Parkhurst, John T.
AU - Fleisher, Matthew S.
AU - Skinner, Christopher H.
AU - Woehr, David J.
AU - Hawthorn-Embree, Meredith L.
PY - 2011/1/1
Y1 - 2011/1/1
N2 - After completing the Multidimensional Work-Ethic Profile (MWEP), 98 college students were given a 20-problem math computation assignment and instructed to stop working on the assignment after completing 10 problems. Next, they were allowed to choose to finish either the partially completed assignment that had 10 problems remaining or a new assignment that contained 9 matched problems and therefore required 10% less effort to complete. Significantly more students chose the new, lower-effort assignment. Logistic regression showed that MWEP scores were significantly related to choice, with Leisure being the most significant factor. These results supported earlier research on the partial-assignment completion effect, effort, and choice and extended this research by showing that the MWEP could account for a significant amount of assignment choice variance. The discussion focuses on the validity of the MWEP, theoretical implications related to work ethic, assignment completion, and future educational research.
AB - After completing the Multidimensional Work-Ethic Profile (MWEP), 98 college students were given a 20-problem math computation assignment and instructed to stop working on the assignment after completing 10 problems. Next, they were allowed to choose to finish either the partially completed assignment that had 10 problems remaining or a new assignment that contained 9 matched problems and therefore required 10% less effort to complete. Significantly more students chose the new, lower-effort assignment. Logistic regression showed that MWEP scores were significantly related to choice, with Leisure being the most significant factor. These results supported earlier research on the partial-assignment completion effect, effort, and choice and extended this research by showing that the MWEP could account for a significant amount of assignment choice variance. The discussion focuses on the validity of the MWEP, theoretical implications related to work ethic, assignment completion, and future educational research.
KW - Assignment choice
KW - Effort
KW - Leisure
KW - Partial-assignment completion effect
KW - Work ethic
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=80052405308&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.1016/j.lindif.2011.04.003
DO - 10.1016/j.lindif.2011.04.003
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:80052405308
SN - 1041-6080
VL - 21
SP - 575
EP - 579
JO - Learning and Individual Differences
JF - Learning and Individual Differences
IS - 5
ER -