1. The effect of contrived success in calculation tasks on the self-efficacy of junior high school students Akitoshi Uchida Akitoshi Uchida Togakushi Junior High School, Nagano, Japan Togakushi Junior High School, Nagano, Japan Kazuo Mori Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology

2. Self-efficacy http://www.des.emory.edu/mfp/believe2.html

3. Anagram tasks were presented in two difficulty levels. LCD projector STIPUD (easy task) PSITDU (difficult task) Methods (Mori & Uchida, 2009)

4. Participants (Mori & Uchida, 2009) Four target students in each class were selected from the 50-26 %ile achievement range and assigned to Easy-task condition. Four target students in each class were selected from the 50-26 %ile achievement range and assigned to Easy-task condition. Easy-task condition students (n = 24) Difficult-task condition students (n = 157) High achievers Low achievers

5. Anagram Tasks Difficult Task Performers Easy Task Performers Results (Mori & Uchida, 2009) The self-efficacy rose after the success in Anagram Task, and it lasted two years.

6. A research question Would it show a stronger effect if the success experience was in school subject rather than in anagram tasks? In the present study, we chose calculation tasks in place of the anagram tasks. Calculation tasks are regarded as one of the basic mathematics skills in junior high school.

7. Methods: An example calculation task LCD projector -8 8 □ 3 4 (easy task) -8 6 □ 3 6 (difficult task) “What number in the blank will make 10 in total?” Each calculation task has the same answer with two difficulty levels.

8. Participants Eighteen and 15 students from the 50-26%ile range were randomly assigned to the Easy- and Difficult-task conditions, respectively. Eighteen and 15 students from the 50-26%ile range were randomly assigned to the Easy- and Difficult-task conditions, respectively. High achievers Low achievers Easy-task condition students (n = 18) Difficult-task condition students (n = 15)

9. Results ~ Task scores ~ The Easy-task performers outscored the Difficult-task performers in the same way as the previous study irrespective of the task types. Task scores of the present study (Left) and those of Mori & Uchida (2009; Right)

10. Results ~ Self-efficacy ratings ~ Calculation Tasks Easy Task Performers Difficult Task Performers The self-efficacy rose after the success in Calculation Task, but it did not last long.

11. Conclusions A contrived success in calculation tasks promoted students’ self-efficacy, but the effect was smaller and lasted shorter than a success in anagram tasks. An artificial success in the tasks closely related to school subjects would be easily adjusted and canceled out during the daily school activities.

12. References Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change, Psychological Review, 84, 191–215. Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change, Psychological Review, 84, 191–215. Mori, K. (2003). Projecting two words with one machine: Presenting two different visual stimuli using just one projector without viewers’ noticing the duality, Behavior Research Methods, 39, 811–815. Mori, K. (2003). Projecting two words with one machine: Presenting two different visual stimuli using just one projector without viewers’ noticing the duality, Behavior Research Methods, 39, 811–815. Mori, K. & Uchida, A. (2009). Can contrived success affect self-efficacy among junior high school students? Research in Education, 82, 60-68. Mori, K. & Uchida, A. (2009). Can contrived success affect self-efficacy among junior high school students? Research in Education, 82, 60-68. Acknowledgments The authors are indebted to Ai Shimizu who conducted this experiment under the supervision of the second author while working at Shinshu University in Nagano, Japan. We express our thanks to the students of Shinonoi Nishi Junior High School who participated in the experiment, and the principal and teachers who kindly supported this study. We are also indebted to Rebecca Ann Marck for her help in editing the English manuscript. We appreciate their thoughtful comments from Steve Janssen of Flinders University and Emmanuel Manalo of Waseda University on an earlier draft of this paper.