Abstract

The current thesis is exploring the moderating effect of anxiety on the relationship between grit and performance. Grit, defined as “perseverance and passion for long-term goals” has been shown to be a significant predictor of success in various outcomes such as educational attainment and retention in the military (Duckworth, Peterson, Matthews, & Kelly, 2007, p. 1087). Anxiety has a multifaceted relationship to performance, depending on whether it is cognitive anxiety (negative linear relationship) or somatic anxiety (inverted-U hypothesis) (Weinberg & Gould, 2007). There were two tasks presented in the study: (i) the Stroop Task (N = 60), and (ii) an obstacle course (N = 65). Anxiety was randomly induced to half the participants in each task, and then performance was measured in time taken to complete each task. A regression analysis was run, but no interaction was found between grit and anxiety in predicting performance (p >.05). Anxiety revealed a statistical trend in the obstacle course (p =.08). However, there were significant correlations between grit and anxiety, grit and performance, and (inversely) anxiety and performance in the obstacle course. The study might have exhibited some methodological weaknesses, but future researchers could aim at showing that this moderation model can be applicable.

Advisor

Thompson, Claudia

Department

Psychology

Disciplines

Psychology

Keywords

grit, anxiety, performance

Publication Date

2016

Degree Granted

Bachelor of Arts

Document Type

Senior Independent Study Thesis

Download

Share

COinS
 

© Copyright 2016 Sharmeen Chinoy