The interactive effect of achievement motivation and task difficulty on mental effort

AbstractThis study investigates how working memory (WM) abilities are implicated in second language (L2) learners’ (a) morphosyntactic achievement and (b) perceptions of required mental effort and task difficulty under oral versus written task modality conditions. Beginning-level learners of L2 Spanish completed two computerized focused tasks in which they produced output and received feedback in oral form (Speaking group) or written form (Writing group). Two grammatical structures varying in their relative level of salience were targeted. After each task, participants rated their perceptions of mental effort required and task difficulty. Production and written and aural acceptability judgment tasks were employed to measure immediate and sustained L2 morphosyntactic achievement. Executive, phonological, and visuospatial WM abilities were gauged using automated operation span, nonword recognition, and forward Corsi block-tapping tasks, respectively. Regression analyses revealed that WM capacity was predictive of L2 morphosyntactic outcomes and task perception ratings in the Speaking group only. Specifically, phonological and visuospatial WM were associated with production and acceptability judgment performance accuracy, whereas executive WM was related to learners’ ratings of perceived mental effort. Differences were also observed based on the target structure.

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Achievement Motivation, Affiliation Motivation, and Task Difficulty as Determinants of Social Conformity

The Journal of Social Psychology ◽

10.1080/00224545.1965.9919619 ◽

1965 ◽

Vol 66 (1) ◽

pp. 41-50 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Francis Sistrunk ◽

John W. McDavid

Keyword(s):

Achievement Motivation ◽

Task Difficulty ◽

Social Conformity ◽

Affiliation Motivation ◽

And Task

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MEASURING COGNITIVE TASK DEMANDS USING DUAL-TASK METHODOLOGY, SUBJECTIVE SELF-RATINGS, AND EXPERT JUDGMENTS

Studies in Second Language Acquisition ◽

10.1017/s0272263115000339 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 38 (4) ◽

pp. 703-737 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

Andrea Révész ◽

Marije Michel ◽

Roger Gilabert

Keyword(s):

Dual Task ◽

Task Difficulty ◽

Task Complexity ◽

Cognitive Task ◽

Mental Effort ◽

Cognitive Effort ◽

Task Condition ◽

Esl Teachers ◽

Dual Task Condition ◽

And Task

This study explored the usefulness of dual-task methodology, self-ratings, and expert judgments in assessing task-generated cognitive demands as a way to provide validity evidence for manipulations of task complexity. The participants were 96 students and 61 English as a second language (ESL) teachers. The students, 48 English native speakers and 48 ESL speakers, carried out simple and complex versions of three oral tasks—a picture narrative, a map task, and a decision-making task. Half of the students completed the tasks under a dual-task condition. The remaining half performed the tasks under a single-task condition without a secondary task. Participants in the single condition were asked to rate their perceived mental effort and task difficulty. The ESL teachers provided expert judgments of anticipated mental effort and task difficulty along with explanations for their ratings via an online questionnaire. As predicted, the more complex task versions were found and judged to pose greater cognitive effort on most measures.

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