ISSN 1671-3710
CN 11-4766/R
主办:中国科学院心理研究所
出版:科学出版社

Advances in Psychological Science ›› 2016, Vol. 24 ›› Issue (9): 1358-1367.doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1042.2016.01358

• Meta-Analysis • Previous Articles     Next Articles

A meta-analysis on effects of praise on children’s intrinsic motivation

GAO Shuang; ZHANG Xiangkui   

  1. (Department of Psychology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China)
  • Received:2016-04-15 Online:2016-09-15 Published:2016-09-15
  • Contact: ZHANG Xiangkui, E-mail: zhangxk@nenu.edu.cn

Abstract:

A meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the relationship between praise and intrinsic motivation in children. Sixteen papers including 30 independent samples (N = 2339) met the criteria for inclusion in the meta-analysis. The result of the meta-analysis showed that there is a medium positive correlation between praise and intrinsic motivation, persistence and self-evaluation. Statistically significant heterogeneity was found between studies in the size of the correlation between praise and persistence and between praise and self-evaluation. Moderator analyses revealed that cultural background had a significant moderating effects on the relationship between praise and persistence; no significant moderating effects were found for age and proportion of boys. Western samples show a significantly higher relation between praise and persistence than eastern samples.

Key words: praise, intrinsic motivation, meta-analysis, moderator effect