Listen to your pride : informational influence of authentic pride on achievement success

• Main Author: Weidman, Aaron C.
• Language: English
• Published: University of British Columbia 2013
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/44438

Although the emotion authentic pride is thought to promote achievement, it remains unclear exactly how it facilitates concrete performance outcomes. In five studies, we tested the informational value of authentic pride in achievement contexts. Studies 1-5 showed that authentic pride fluctuates based on achievement outcomes, among individuals who had taken an achievement test—and in some cases had not yet learned their scores—and adults training for long-distance running races. Studies 3-5 demonstrated that individuals who feel low authentic pride change their achievement behaviors (e.g., exam study habits or race training plans) in an effort to attain future success, and Study 4 showed that these changes are beneficial; individuals who had performed poorly on a class exam, and who changed their studying habits in response to low levels of authentic pride, performed better on subsequent exams. Together, these studies demonstrate that authentic pride is a barometer of achievement, and that listening to one’s authentic pride facilitates optimal achievement. === Arts, Faculty of === Psychology, Department of === Graduate