UVIs are more effective when students generate their own examples of utility, invest more engagement, and are given choices¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · review r2 · q2
Currency · newest study 2026 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? The intervention is most effective when students generate examples of utility for themselves rather than being provided with reasons why course topics might be useful. → Carol Sansone 2026 q2 i? Students' engagement when discussing utility value, reflected in the number of words in their essays, consistently serves as a mediator of the UVI's effects on course outcomes, and effects are stronger when students are given choices. → Carol Sansone 2026 (2)

Evidence¶

Carol Sansone 2026¶

Carol Sansone, K. Ann Renninger, Judith M. Harackiewicz. (2026). Motivating Self-Regulation: Utility Value, Interest Development, and the Potential for Intervention. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-026-10142-7

q2 · i? · review · r2

Narrative review attributing to Canning and Harackiewicz (2015) the finding that self-generated utility examples make the intervention more effective than provided reasons; the review frames generating personal examples as a form of self-regulation.

"research has found that the intervention is most effective when students generate examples of utility for themselves rather than being provided with reasons why course topics might useful (Canning & Harackiewicz, 2015)"

Carol Sansone 2026 (2)¶

Carol Sansone, K. Ann Renninger, Judith M. Harackiewicz. (2026). Motivating Self-Regulation: Utility Value, Interest Development, and the Potential for Intervention. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-026-10142-7

q2 · i? · review · r2

Narrative review reporting that essay word count consistently mediates UVI effects on course outcomes, and that effects are stronger when students choose topics to write about or methods of generating utility (Asher & Harackiewicz, 2025; Priniski et al., 2019; Rosenzweig et al., 2019).

"the degree of students' engagement when discussing utility value for course content (as reflected in the number of words in their essays) consistently serves as a mediator of the effects of the UVI on course outcomes (Asher et al., 2023; Harackiewicz et al., 2016)"

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Interest — moderator: an instructional effect differs with it

Related Claims¶

• Utility-value interventions enhance perceived utility value, engagement, performance, and persistence in introductory college science courses — related
• Learners invest more effort in tasks they perceive as interesting, personally important, or useful to their future goals. — related
• Performance benefits of UVIs may be limited to the perceived-useful content unless usefulness generalizes or interest develops — related
• Perceived control and choice benefit motivation and simple-fact learning, but most students do not manage their learning effectively when given choice — related