Undivided interest and the growth of talent: A longitudinal study of adolescents

Based on theoretical considerations drawn from John Dewey and others, and using the Experience Sampling Method to longitudinally investigate a group of talented high school students,undivided interest was operationalized as times when the students felt above average spontaneous interest (i.e., excitement, openness, and involvement) while also reporting above average goal-directed interest (i.e., that their task was important to their goals). Results showed that after adjusting for the effects of family background, scholastic aptitude, and other individual differences, undivided interest while doing talent-related activities was positively correlated with independent assessments of talent area performance three years later: the level of mastery students achieved as indicated by their school records, the ratings students received from their talent area teachers, and the students' assessments of their own level of engagement. Highly engaged students reported over twice as much undivided interest in comparison to a group of disengaged students, who reported more divided interest (i.e., more of what Dewey referred to as fooling—high spontaneous involvement with no goal direction; and more drudgery—low spontaneous involvement and high goal direction). These findings held regardless of whether the teenagers were talented in math, science, music, or art. The implications of the study are discussed in terms of contemporary theories of attention and cognitive development, as well as unproductive educational philosophies that pit these important dimensions of experience against each other.Received Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Chicago. Main research interests are adolescent development within the family and the role of interest in learning and development.Received Ph.D. in human development from the University of Chicago. Main research interests are optimal experience and creativity.     

Parent–Adolescent Interaction and Optimal Experience

Thirty adolescents and their parents participated in a study of family interaction and optimal experience. Family members completed questionnaires, and discussed 7 topics for approximately 30 minutes while being videotaped. The audio portion of the tape was replayed after the discussion, with pauses after each topic segment to allow family members an opportunity to complete a modified form of the Experience Sampling Method. Family interaction was coded by independent observers, and compared to family members' experiential reports. Results showed that family communication complexity (i.e., interaction characterized jointly by integrating and differentiating responses) was associated with family members' reports of more optimal experience (i.e., feelings of interest and/or flow experience). Segment-to-segment analyses added that increases and descreases in family members' interest were associated with upward and downward changes in communication complexity, respectively. These findings, and the novel methodological approach, are discussed in terms of their relevance for studying adolescent development in the family.