Ego-involvement manipulation via experimental para-instructions: effects on mood states and problem solving performance

Abstract

The present study focuses on some relationships holding among causal attribution, mood states, ego involvement, and cognitive performance, in the context of research artifacts. Experimental para-instructions were presented immediately before a problem-solving computerized task (Nomos), in order to produce high ego-involvement in one group, and low ego-involvement in another. The former attributed Nomos performance to the stable-internal attribute"intelligence"; whereas the latter attributed it to the unstable-external attribute"software quality". Cognitive performance effects were assessed via Nomos. Mood effects were assessed via List of Present Mood States (LPMS) applied both before and after para-instructions, as well as after Nomos. Re-assessment of problem-solving abilities, as an independent control, was obtained via Raven Progressive Matrices Test (RPMT) in the end. Para-instructions affected both LPMS ego-involvement and problem-solving performance in Nomos. Mood effects were restricted to Nomos, and did not affect RPMT performance. High ego-involvement para-instructions decreased task-disengagement mood; low ego-involvement ones decreased task-engagement mood. Task-engagement mood was significantly greater than task-disengagement mood as a consequence of high ego-involvement para-instruction. Problem-solving performance in Nomos under high ego-involvement was better than it was under low ego-involvement. Under high ego-involvement there was a positive correlation between Nomos and RPMT performances, but not under low ego-involvement.