Duckworth & Seligman

Duckworth & Seligman Research Article Questions

1. What did they do?

Angela Duckworth and Martin Seligman did two similar studies on eighth grades students to find a correlation between self-discipline and good academic performance, such as “ grades, attendance, standardized achievement-test scores, and selection into a competitive high school.” (Duckworth & Seligman P. 939)

In the first study they used 140 eighth grade students, and had them fill out three different questionnaires for the students. The first is the Eysenck 1.6 Junior Impulsiveness Subscale, which is 23 yes or no questions about impulsiveness. The second is the Brief Self-Control Scale, which is 13 questions and has four categories: thoughts, emotions, impulses, and performance. The third is the Kirby Delay-Discounting Rate Monetary Choice Questionnaire, which is 27 questions that has the participant choose either an immediate reward, or a delayed reward. The parents and teachers of the participants also filled out a questionnaire, the Self-Control Rating Scale is 33 questions that “assess the child using a scale from 1 to 7, 4 being the “average child,” 1 being “maximally self-controlled,” and 7 being “maximally impulsive.” Items tap ability to inhibit behavior, follow rules, and control impulsive reactions.” (Duckworth & Seligman P. 940) Last the researchers looked at the “recorded data for a variety of academic-performance variables from school records, such as grades, attendance, standardized achievement-test scores, and selection into a competitive high school.” (Duckworth & Seligman P. 940)

In the second study they used 164 eighth grade students, in which they used the same three questionnaires for the students, but also asked the students to take part in the Delay Choice Task. The researchers gave the students an envelope with a dollar and told the students that they could have the dollar or return the envelop for two dollars but they would have to wait a week for...