Both choice and utility value manipulations increase maintained situational interest in regression by similar small amounts¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · causal r? · q3 · i0 negligible
Currency · newest study 2025 · checked against its sources 2026-10-25 (automated, 1 of 1 entry) · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i0 The utility value manipulation increased maintained situational interest by .15 standard deviations (d = 0.15, p < .001) and choice by .16 standard deviations (d = 0.16, p < .001); the effect sizes did not significantly differ (p = .881). → Asher 2025

Evidence¶

Asher 2025¶

Asher, M. W., & Harackiewicz, J. M. (2025). Using Choice and Utility Value to Promote Interest: Stimulating Situational Interest in a Lesson and Fostering the Development of Interest in Statistics. Journal of Educational Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000921

q3 · i0 · causal · r?

Meta-regression across Studies 1–7 on maintained situational interest in regression showed both manipulations raised it, with "d = 0.15" for utility value and "d = 0.16" for choice, and no significant difference between them. A negative non-significant D-UV × baseline interest interaction (b = −0.08, p = .082) suggested larger effects for lower-interest participants.

"the directly-communicated utility value manipulation increased participants’ feelings of maintained situational interest in regression by .15 standard deviations, d = 0.15, p < .001. The choice manipulation increased maintained situational interest by .16 standard deviations, d = 0.16, p < .001. These two effect sizes did not significantly differ, p = .881."

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Interest — outcome: instruction changes it
• Motivation — outcome: instruction changes it

Related Claims¶

• Effects on maintained situational interest and resource requests are mediated by perceived utility value (utility value manipulation) and perceived autonomy and triggered interest (choice manipulation) — related
• Providing meaningful choice during a lesson increases perceived autonomy and triggered situational interest in undergraduates learning statistics — related
• Neither choice nor utility value manipulations improve end-of-session regression test performance, and the two manipulations do not interact — related
• Utility value manipulation, but not choice, increases voluntary requests for statistics resources, a behavioral indicator of emerging individual interest — related
• Directly-communicated utility value increases beliefs about the usefulness of regression, unmoderated by baseline confidence or interest — related
• Triggered situational interest shows anecdotal evidence of being higher in the VR condition while maintained situational interest does not differ — related