The effect on "triggers" on learning

Originally posted November 25, 2013

In the classic Three Stooges sketch (yes, the Three Stooges had classics), the phrase “Niagara Falls” triggers Moe into a violent and comedic rage. (“Slowly I turned. Step by step. Inch by inch…”) The name of the location sparks a memory that influences the character’s behavior. Not all triggers and responses, however, are so obvious.

In a recent study, researchers found that just the anticipation of taking a test of memory made older people feel even older. Their subjective age, how old they felt, increased by an average of 5 years after spending 5 minutes reading the directions for the test. The test coupled with a question about subjective age acted as a trigger for the stereotype of old people with bad memories. This feeling older effect didn’t occur with a test of vocabulary, nor did middle-aged participants show any differences in subjective age in either condition. No stereotypes there.

Researchers call this phenomenon stereotype threat, and numerous studies have revealed its impact in classrooms and on standardized tests. Blacks, for instance, perform less well on measures of intelligence versus measures of ability, even when the tests are exactly the same. “Intelligence test,” researchers explain, triggers a stereotype of Blacks being less intelligent. That stereotype threat raises anxiety, pushing down performance. Women can experience a similar effect on measures of mathematical or scientific intelligence.

Our words trigger associations that influence how others see themselves, and that identity can influence behavior. And not all triggers are bad. Words that trigger associations with success, hard work, and perseverance can be beneficial. Reminding people, for instance, of a time that they overcame an obstacle or that they are part of a select group of achievers can prompt sustained effort.

Triggers can also be metaphorical. Sipping a hot cup of coffee while reading a resume can make you think the candidate has a warm personality. For more examples and a glimpse at the neuro- and evolutionary mechanisms that might be at work for these triggers, check out this piece by Stanford’s Robert Sapolsky.

There’s more in a recent Scientific American article, but you need to pay to see the whole thing.

Are you triggering your students to feel competent and resilient? Are you helping them see themselves as part of a group who can achieve success? Tell us what you are doing now and what you can do going forward to trigger student effort. We’d like to hear.

©Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Reprinted with permission.