Evidence on synergistic openness–interest effects on knowledge attainment is mixed, with supporting, compensating, and zero findings reported¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · theoretical r3 · q2
Currency · newest study 2026 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Prior research has supported synergistic openness/intellectual-curiosity × interest effects on knowledge attainment at state and trait levels, but studies have also found compensating and zero effects. → Lisa Bardach 2026

Evidence¶

Lisa Bardach 2026¶

Lisa Bardach, Luise von Keyserlingk, Jacque S. Eccles. (2026). Motivation and Personality: Current Integrative Perspectives and the Way Ahead. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-026-10147-2

q2 · i? · theoretical · r3

The review reports, citing the named studies, the state of evidence for the Openness-Fluid-Crystallized-Intelligence (OFCI) model's assumed synergy between openness/intellectual curiosity and domain-specific interest. The review attributes supporting, compensating, and zero findings to the cited works; no effect sizes are printed.

"Prior research has supported the assumed synergistic effects, both on the state and trait level (Ziegler et al., 2012, 2018); yet, studies also found compensating effect (Zhang & Ziegler, 2022), and zero effects (Schumacher et al., 2025)."

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Personality Traits — predictor: learners who differ on it differ in outcomes

Related Claims¶

• Trait-level constructs such as novelty seeking, need for cognition, and vocational interests can be modeled as generalized reward values of knowledge formed through reward-learning generalization — related
• Self-concept and global value interact synergistically and positively in predicting achievement, effort, and teacher-rated engagement — related
• Adaptive task difficulty compensates low interest but not low self-concept among vocational-school students during repeated practice — related