In a recent post by The Learning Scientists, a meta-analysis study looked at the relationship between mental effort and negative affect across 170 studies. Specifically, it looked at 15 moderators to see which ones had the most significant effects on this relationship. For example, does education level matter? Does higher levels of education lead to lower levels of negative affect? What about experience or skill level? Do those improve adverse effects over time?
Surprisingly, the meta-analysis done by David et al. (2024) revealed that none of the 15 moderators significantly impacted the relationship between mental effort and negative affect. The unexpected key factor that emerged was geography. Studies conducted in North America and Europe showed a positive relationship between mental effort and negative affect. However, in Asian countries, this relationship was not as straightforward. The hypothesis is that the language used in the study may have different connotations in Asia than in Europe or North America, leading to a different interpretation of mental effort. This finding underscores the profound influence of cultural psychology on how each culture values mental effort and perceives negative affect.
A biological reason for mental effort to be disliked is that it takes energy. BrainFacts.org says the brain uses about 20% of the body’s energy. However, it is a steady use of energy during the day and night, whether we are doing challenging tasks or spaced out. So, it is a myth that the brain has to use more energy to do a complex task. So why do we not like to exercise mental effort? It is interesting and a pity to think that here in the U.S., we have this problematic relationship between mental effort and negative affect. This meta-analysis makes me believe that it is a self-inflicting cultural wound. What can we learn from the Asian cultures that can help us value mental effort? And reduce the negative affect? How can teachers help? This is something to look into. It’ll take the whole community to solve.
Teachers can help in various ways:
- Reducing cognitive load
- Scaffolding
- Doing continual informal assessments to identify gaps
- Supporting prior knowledge
- Teaching students cognitive strategies like self-regulated learning and metacognition
- Cyclical review for improved retention and working memory
The following blog posts will cover each of these ways. More to come!
References
David, L., Vassena, E., & Bijleveld, E. (2024). The unpleasantness of thinking: A meta-analytic review of the association between mental effort and negative affect. Psychological Bulletin, 150(9), 1070–1093. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000443
Kaminske, A. N. (2024, September 5). Thinking is hard. The Learning Scientists. https://www.learningscientists.org/blog/2024/9/4
Richardson, M. W. (n.d.). How much energy does the brain use?. BrainFacts.org. https://www.brainfacts.org/brain-anatomy-and-function/anatomy/2019/how-much-energy-does-the-brain-use-020119#:~:text=You%20can%20see%20the%20increase,leg%20muscles%20would%20while%20sprinting.
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