Gritty people try harder: grit and effort-related cardiac autonomic activity during an active coping challenge

The role of grit in thinking styles and academic major satisfaction

Satisfaction with one's academic major is critical to a university student's development. This study explores the interrelationships among thinking styles, grit, and academic major satisfaction in both deaf or hard-of-hearing (DHH) and hearing students, employing independent samples t-tests to compare the two groups, Pearson's correlation analysis to explore relationships among the variables, and mediation analysis to understand the mediating effect of grit on the relationship between thinking styles and academic major satisfaction. The results indicated significantly higher levels of grit and consistency of interest in DHH students than hearing students, with no significant differences in perseverance of effort. A strong correlation was found between thinking styles and both grit and academic major satisfaction, particularly in DHH students. Mediation analysis revealed that grit significantly mediated the relationship between thinking styles and academic major satisfaction, underscoring its role in enhancing students' academic experience. These findings contribute to the limited literature on DHH students' psychological attributes and the complex interplay of psychological constructs in academic major satisfaction, offering valuable insights for tailored educational strategies.

Neural basis responsible for effect of grit on procrastination: The interaction between the self-regulation and motivation neural pathways

Procrastination has a detrimental impact on academic performance, health, and subjective well-being. Previous studies indicated that grit was negatively related to procrastination. However, the underlying neural basis of this relationship remains unclear. To address this issue, we utilized voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) analysis to identify the neural substrates of how is grit linked to procrastination. Behavioral results showed that procrastination was negatively associated with grit. VBM analysis revealed that gray matter volume (GMV) in the left precuneus was positively associated with the consistency of interest (CI), a subcomponent of grit, while the right medial orbital frontal cortex (mOFC) was positively correlated with the perseverance of effort (PE), another subcomponent of grit. Moreover, the RSFC analysis indicated that both precuneus-medial superior frontal gyrus (mSFG) and precuneus-insula connectivity were positively related to CI, while the functional coupling of right mOFC with left anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) was positively related to PE. Importantly, the structural equation modeling (SEM) results were well suited for the influence of grit on procrastination via both self-regulation (mOFC-ACC) and motivation pathways (precuneus-mSFG, precuneus-insula). Together, these findings imply that self-regulation and motivation could be two neural circuits underlying the impact of grit on procrastination.

Three weeks of mental training changes physiological outcomes during a time trial to exhaustion

Mental training (MT) can increase endurance performance. The purpose of this study was to examine the minimum dose of mental training needed to increase performance and elucidate the physiological mechanisms underlying this improvement. In a randomized between groups pre-test-post-test design, 33 participants visited the lab on 6 separate days. A VO2peak with ventilatory threshold (VT) was performed on day 1. The subsequent visits consisted of time trials to exhaustion (TTE) performed at 10% above VT. Between visit 3 and 6, the MT group (n = 16) watched a video for 10-15 min each day for 3 weeks, while the control group (CON; n = 17) did no mental training. Heart rate (HR), rate of perceived exertion (RPE), VAS scores for pain and fatigue, electromyography, and metabolic and neuromuscular data were collected and recorded during the time trials. The GRIT-S and CD-RISC 10 surveys were completed before study days 3 and 6. TTE increased significantly for MT beginning after 2 weeks (10.0 ± 13.1%) with no further change after 3 weeks (10.4 ± 13.2). TTE also significantly decreased during the last TTE for CON (-10.3 ± 12.7). VO2, ventilation, and frequency of breathing were significantly reduced in the latter stages of the TTE for MT. EMG was also significantly decreased for MT as compared for CON throughout the trial. Three weeks of mental training improves performance by reducing EMG, decreasing activation of the muscle and reducing metabolic factors during the latter stages of exercise.

Growth mindset and school burnout symptoms in young adolescents: the role of vagal activity as potential mediator

Experiencing school burnout symptoms can have negative consequences for learning. A growth mindset, the belief that human qualities such as intelligence are malleable, has previously been correlated with fewer school burnout symptoms in late adolescents. This might be because adolescents with a stronger growth mindset show more adaptive self-regulation strategies and thereby increasing resilience against academic setbacks. Here we confirmed in a sample of 426 Dutch young adolescents (11-14 years old; 48% female) that this relationship between growth mindset and school burnout symptoms holds after controlling for other potential predictors of school burnout symptoms such as academic achievement, school track, gender, and socio-economic status. Our second aim was to increase our understanding of the mechanism underlying the relation between mindset and school burnout, by measuring physiological resilience (vagal activity, a measure of parasympathetic activity, also known as heart rate variability or HRV) in a subsample (n = 50). We did not find any relation between vagal activity and growth mindset or school burnout symptoms, nor could we establish a mediating effect of vagal activity in their relation. In conclusion, we found evidence for a potential protective effect of a growth mindset on school burnout symptoms in young adolescents, but not for physiological resilience (vagal activity) as an underlying mechanism. The protective effect of growth mindset as confirmed in our younger sample can be leveraged in interventions to prevent increasing school burnout symptoms.

Grit Perseverance, Not Passion, Moderates the Association Between Behavioral Inhibition/Approach System and Internet Addiction in Adolescents

Background

Research on the links between the behavioral inhibition and approach systems (BIS/BAS), and internet addiction (IA) in adolescents has been inconclusive. BIS/BAS may interact with adolescent trait characteristics, resulting in different outcomes. Grit may alter adolescents' motivations, which can even be based on biological systems such as BIS/BAS. However, the impact of BIS/BAS and potential moderating factors on adolescents' internet use remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the association between BIS/BAS and IA in adolescents and explore the potential moderating roles of the two facts of grit, passion and perseverance, on the association between BIS/BAS and IA.

Methods

A total of 1,881 junior and senior high school students (M_age = 14.65, standard deviation _age = 1.81, ranging from 11 to 20 years) completed a self-reported measure of BIS/BAS, IA, and grit. Independent t-tests and chi-square tests were used to evaluate the differences between adolescents with IA and those with normal internet use. Pearson correlation and regression model analyses, including moderating model analysis, were used to qualify the associations between IA and BIS/BAS, as well as the potential moderating role of grit passion and perseverance.

Results

The results showed that 19.1% of the participants met the criteria for IA. Both BIS (β = 0.085, t = 3.650, p < 0.001) and BAS (β = 0.06, t = 2.552, p < 0.05) were positively associated with IA risk, and grit-perseverance moderated the association between BIS and IA (β = -0.230, bootstrap 95% confidence interval: -0.450 to -0.012) and BAS with IA (β = -0.187, bootstrap 95% confidence interval: -0.299 to -0.076).

Conclusion

These findings extend the current knowledge on the associations between BIS/BAS and IA. Moreover, the findings suggest that enhancing grit-perseverance may improve prevention and intervention of IA risk in adolescents who are sensitive to BIS and BAS.

Grit and successful aging in older adults

OBJECTIVES

Grit is a noncognitive trait that has been shown to increase monotonically throughout adulthood and predict late-life cognitive performance. Less is known about the relation between grit and successful aging in older adults.

METHOD

Participants over 55-years-old (N = 185) completed a series of self-report surveys assessing demographics, grit (Short Grit Scale; Grit-S), physical and emotional functioning (Medical Outcomes Study Short Form Health Survey; SF-36), and changes in cognitive functioning (Everyday Cognition; ECog). Principal component analysis of the Grit-S was conducted, and then Pearson product moment correlations and multiple linear regressions were used to assess the relations between grit, age, and measures of successful aging.

RESULTS

Grit showed no association with age, even after controlling for education. Grit total score was positively associated with a variety of successful aging variables (SF-36; physical, emotional, and social functioning, energy, general health; all p's <.001). Component analysis of the Grit-S showed a two-component solution representing Consistency and Perseverance. Both components predicted SF-36 measures of energy, general health, and emotional function (SF-36), but only Consistency predicted cognitive decline (ECog) and SF-36 measures of physical health and pain.

CONCLUSION

Grit is stable throughout older adulthood and may serve as a protective factor that promotes active adaptation to the developmental challenges of aging. Consistency of interests appears to play an adaptive role in all facets of successful aging, including stability of cognitive functioning, while perseverance of effort may have a more circumscribed positive effect on physical and emotional well-being in older adults.

Physical activity always benefits employees, right? Examining the role of physical activity type, grit, stress, and career satisfaction

This study tests whether employee participation in different types of physical activity benefits employees' training stress and career satisfaction perceptions differently and if grit, as a psychological resource, mediates this relationship. In two samples, we assess whether (1) regular physical activity; or (2) exercise to reach a competitive goal have similar associations with employee outcomes. In study 1, we find no relationship between employee engagement in regular physical activity and the outcomes. Moreover, grit's consistency of effort mediates the physical activity – training stress relationship, exacerbating employees' training stress. In study 2, employee exercise reduces career satisfaction and increases training stress. Importantly, grit's perseverance dimension increases their career satisfaction, and the consistency of interest dimension lessens training stress. Thus, we find evidence that employee participation in different types of physical activity leads to divergent outcomes, and that grit as a mediator only benefits employees exercising for a competitive goal.

Differential Associations between Strategies of Emotion Regulation and Facets of Grit in College Students and Adults

According to socioemotional selectivity theory, motivation influences emotion regulation. Grit is a motivation orientation defined by the passionate pursuit of long-term goals. We conducted two studies to determine the relation between facets of grit and two emotion regulation strategies: cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression. In Study 1, we examined the relation between these variables in college students (20-24 year olds), and Study 2 focused on community adults (25-72 year olds). Facets of grit were assessed using the Short Grit Scale and habitual use of emotion regulation strategies was assessed using the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. We combined data from both studies and conducted regression analyses to examine the role of each facet of grit, participant's age, and the interaction between age and facets of grit in the habitual use of either reappraisal or suppression as strategies to regulate emotions. The regression analyses revealed that both facets of grit were positively associated with reappraisal regardless of age. However, the facets of grit differed in their associations with expressive suppression. Grit-Consistency was negatively associated with expressive suppression, regardless of age. But, a significant interaction effect with participant's age emerged for Grit-Perseverance. Specifically, Grit-Perseverance was positively associated with expressive suppression only in individuals below the age of 31. Overall, the data suggest that the relations between facets of grit and habitual use of emotion regulation strategy may vary with age. Additionally, our work indicates adults with high levels of grit may experience healthy emotional functioning, particularly later in adulthood.

Electrophysiological Prints of Grit

While scientific interest in understanding the grit trait has grown exponentially in recent years, one important gap in the grit literature relates to its biological and neural substrate. In the present study, we adopted a hypotheses-driven approach in a large sample of young adults (N = 120) with diverse educational backgrounds and work experiences in order to investigate the electrophysiological correlates of grit both during rest and while performing a learning task. Additionally, we selected a measure of impulsiveness to better understand the neural similarities and differences between grit and related self-control constructs. Based on previous work that implicated the prefrontal cortex in grit, we hypothesized that high grit participants would have lower frontal theta/beta ratio (a broadly used index that reflects prefrontally-mediated top-down processes, which might indicate better control over subcortical information). Furthermore, we expected the perseverance of effort facet of grit to be linked to higher complexity during task engagement because previous research has shown complexity indexes (entropy and fractal dimension) to be linked to effort while performing cognitive tasks. Our results revealed that although there were no differences at rest as a function of grit, the participants with high grit and high consistency of interest scores exhibited lower frontal theta/beta ratios during the learning task. This pattern suggests that individual differences in grit might be more evident when top-down control processes are at work. Furthermore, there was a positive association between perseverance of effort and entropy at task, which might indicate more effort and engagement in the task. Finally, no association was found between the neural indexes (frontal theta/beta ratio, entropy, or fractal dimension) and impulsiveness, neither impulsiveness mediated between grit and brain measures. Finally, when controlling for impulsiveness and demographic variables (gender, age, education, and work experience) the effects at the facet level remained statistically significant. While there is still a long way to fully understand the neural mechanisms of grit, the present work constitutes a step toward unveiling the electrophysiological prints of grit.

Effortful listening: Sympathetic activity varies as a function of listening demand but parasympathetic activity does not

Research on listening effort has used various physiological measures to examine the biological correlates of listening effort but a systematic examination of the impact of listening demand on cardiac autonomic nervous system activity is still lacking. The presented study aimed to close this gap by assessing cardiac sympathetic and parasympathetic responses to variations in listening demand. For this purpose, 45 participants performed four speech-in-noise tasks differing in listening demand-manipulated as signal-to-noise ratio varying between +23 dB and -16 dB-while their pre-ejection period and respiratory sinus arrythmia responses were assessed. Cardiac responses showed the expected effect of listening demand on sympathetic activity, but failed to provide evidence for the expected listening demand impact on parasympathetic activity: Pre-ejection period reactivity increased with increasing listening demand across the three possible listening conditions and was low in the very high (impossible) demand condition, whereas respiratory sinus arrythmia did not show this pattern. These findings have two main implications. First, cardiac sympathetic responses seem to be the more sensitive correlate of the impact of task demand on listening effort compared to cardiac parasympathetic responses. Second, very high listening demand may lead to disengagement and correspondingly low effort and reduced cardiac sympathetic response.

Persistence and Disengagement in Personal Goal Pursuit

Persistence in and timely disengagement from personal goals are core components of successful self-regulation and therefore relevant to well-being and performance. In the history of motivation psychology, there has been a clear emphasis on persistence. Only recently have researchers become interested in goal disengagement, as mirrored by the amount of pertinent research. In this review, we present an overview of the most influential motivational theories on persistence and disengagement that address situational and personal determinants, cognitive and affective mechanisms, and consequences for well-being, health, and performance. Some of these theories use a general approach, whereas others focus on individual differences. The theories presented incorporate classical expectancy-value constructs as well as contemporary volitional concepts of self-regulation. Many of the theoretical approaches have spread to applied fields (e.g., education, work, health). Despite numerous important insights into persistence and disengagement, we also identify several unresolved research questions. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Psychology, Volume 73 is January 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

Cardiac autonomic functioning across stress and reward: Links with depression in emerging adults

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) has received much attention as a potential low-cost, peripheral indicator of depression. Despite theoretical support, however, results have been mixed as to whether indices of the ANS reliably index depression. In response, the present study sought to clarify the relation between ANS activity and depression by examining cardiac autonomic balance (CAB) and cardiac autonomic regulation (CAR), two composite indices of the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system, within both a stressful and rewarding context. We hypothesized that CAB_Stress, representing the difference between the parasympathetic and sympathetic branches in response to stress, and CAR_Reward, representing the summation of the two branches in response to reward, will be most indicative of depressogenic risk. We examined the parasympathetic (i.e., respiratory sinus arrhythmia) and sympathetic (i.e., pre-ejection period) responses of 97 emerging adults (M_age = 18.93) for a stress (i.e., negative mood induction) and reward (i.e., probabilistic learning) task, as well as their depressive symptoms at baseline, 3-week, and 6-week follow-up. Analyses found partial support for our hypotheses, revealing greater CAR_Reward (i.e., coactivation of both branches) was related to lower depressive symptoms. Further, exploratory analyses examining gender differences found lower CAB_Stress (i.e., sympathetically-oriented response) was predictive of an increasing trajectory of depression, but only among males. Overall, the current study highlights the importance of simultaneously examining both branches of the ANS across various environmental contexts. Research and clinical implications of the current findings are discussed.

Grit personality trait of doctors and medical students in level 4 acute hospital

INTRODUCTION

GRIT, defined as passion and perseverance for long-term goals, is a personality trait that is key to academic success and career achievement. Doctors face significant challenges and exposure to stressful situations throughout their career and require high levels of grit and perseverance to achieve success and avoid burn-out. This study aimed to measure overall levels of grit among hospital doctors and medical students and to compare levels of Grit across specialties and career grades.

METHOD

ology: A cross-sectional survey was used to measure GRIT levels using the validated Short Grit Scale (GRIT-S). Hospital doctors and medical students at University Hospital Galway were asked to complete the questionnaire. Gender, age, grade, education, and speciality were recorded. Analysis was conducted using STATA V12.1™ and SPSS 25™.

RESULTS

378 questionnaires were completed with a participation rate of 75.6% eligible for analysis. The female: male ratio was 1.2:1, with a mean age of 29.6 ± 8.3 years. The mean Grit score of participants was 3.56 ± 0.55. Grit trait was independent of gender and increased with age and grade. Consultants had significantly higher mean Grit score (3.86 ± 0.59, p = 0.004). There was no difference between medical specialities, nor between graduate-entry and undergraduate medical students.

CONCLUSION

our results show that medical students and NCHDs alike have high levels of Grit compared to the general population, and the levels increase with career advancement, with the highest scores observed in consultants. This suggests that Grit might be of benefit as an adjunct in the selection process of applicants for training schemes and jobs that require high levels of resilience, as well as an adjunct to monitoring progress in training from a personality and mental health perspective.

Clarity of task difficulty moderates the impact of the explicit achievement motive on physical effort in hand grip tasks

Stable personality dispositions, like motives, are often assumed to exert a direct, stable impact on behavior. This also applies to the explicit achievement motive, which is supposed to influence the behavior that individuals select and how strongly they engage in it. Drawing on motivational intensity theory, we demonstrated in two studies that explicit achievement motive strength only predicted exerted force in a hand grip task if task difficulty was unclear. If task difficulty was clear, explicit achievement motive strength did not influence exerted force. Our findings suggest that the availability of information about the difficulty of motive satisfaction moderates the impact of the explicit achievement motive on behavior.

Beyond Passion and Perseverance: Review and Future Research Initiatives on the Science of Grit

Grit, which is originally conceptualized as passion and perseverance for long-term goals, has been associated with optimal performance. Although previous meta-analytic and systematic reviews summarized how grit relates to performance outcomes, they possess considerable shortcomings, such as (a) absence of summary on the association of grit with well-being outcomes; (b) absence of discussion on social, psychological, and emotional mechanisms linking grit to well-being; and (c) lack of elaboration on how alternative models can resolve fundamental problems in the grit construct. This integrative review provides a comprehensive summary on the link of grit to performance and well-being outcomes. Importantly, it elaborates how alternative models can potentially address flaws in the existing grit theory. Future research directions are discussed on how to move forward the science of grit.

How do we assess resilience and grit among internal medicine residents at the Mayo Clinic? A longitudinal validity study including correlations with medical knowledge, professionalism and clinical performance

BACKGROUND

There has been limited research on the positive aspects of physician wellness and to our knowledge there have been no validity studies on measures of resilience and grit among internal medicine (IM) residents.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the validity of resilience (10 items Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC 10)) and grit (Short Grit Scale (GRIT-S)) scores among IM residents at a large academic centre, and assess potential associations with previously validated measures of medical knowledge, clinical performance and professionalism.

METHODS

We evaluated CD-RISC 10 and GRIT-S instrument scores among IM residents at the Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minnesota between July 2017 and June 2019. We analysed dimensionality, internal consistency reliability and criterion validity in terms of relationships between resilience and grit, with standardised measures of residents' medical knowledge (in-training examination (ITE)), clinical performance (faculty and peer evaluations and Mini-Clinical Evaluation Examination (mini-CEX)) and professionalism/dutifulness (conference attendance and evaluation completion).

RESULTS

A total of 213 out of 253 (84.2%) survey-eligible IM residents provided both CD-RISC 10 and GRIT-S survey responses. Internal consistency reliability (Cronbach alpha) was excellent for CD-RISC 10 (0.93) and GRIT-S (0.82) overall, and for the GRIT subscales of consistency of interest (0.84) and perseverance of effort (0.71). CD-RISC 10 scores were negatively associated with ITE percentile (β=-3.4, 95% CI -6.2 to -0.5, p=0.02) and mini-CEX (β=-0.2, 95% CI -0.5 to -0.02, p=0.03). GRIT-S scores were positively associated with evaluation completion percentage (β=2.51, 95% CI 0.35 to 4.67, p=0.02) and conference attendance (β=2.70, 95% CI 0.11 to 5.29, p=0.04).

CONCLUSIONS

This study revealed favourable validity evidence for CD-RISC 10 and GRIT-S among IM residents. Residents demonstrated resilience within a competitive training environment despite less favourable test performance and grittiness that was manifested by completing tasks. This initial validity study provides a foundation for further research on resilience and grit among physicians in training.

Grit Assessment: Is One Dimension Enough?

Grit is one of the non-cognitive variables that has received the most attention in recent years given its relationship to and influence in various aspects of life. There are very few reliable, valid instruments to evaluate it in Spanish-speaking countries. Because of that, the aim of this study is the development and validation of a new scale to evaluate grit in Spanish-speaking contexts. We used a sample of 531 Spanish participants (60% women) from the general population (M_years = 38.60, SD_years = 14.90). We examined the structure and measurement invariance of the instrument. We calculated the instrument's reliability and obtained evidence of validity in relation to other variables. We examined the differences in grit as a function of gender and age. The factorial analyses confirmed the unidimensionality of the instrument, along with the measurement invariance of the scores with respect to sex and age. The new grit scale demonstrated excellent reliability (α = .94; ω = .94). We found clear evidence of validity in relation to other variables; the Grit short scale (r = .691), self-control (r = .595), self-efficacy (r = .703), and conscientiousness (r = .661). The new scale for evaluating grit (Oviedo Grit Scale) is essentially unidimensional, and scores produced by it exhibit excellent indicators of reliability and validity.

Cortical and affective regulation of autonomic coordination

Although anatomical research clearly demonstrates the ability of the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous system to independently influence cardiac function, little research has examined whether coordinated activation is typical or whether the extent of autonomic coordination is situationally dependent. This study examines the extent of coordination between sympathetic (cardiac pre-ejection period: PEP) and parasympathetic (respiratory sinus arrhythmia: RSA) influences on the cardiac function to determine whether coordination is a trait-like between-person characteristic or a state-varying within-person phenomenon, and if so, whether variability in autonomic coordination is modulated by cognitive (P3b amplitude) or affective state. Kindergarten-aged children (n = 257) completed a go/no-go task administered in blocks designed to induce affective states through the delivery of reward (Blocks 1 and 3) and frustration (Block 2). Results from multilevel models that allowed for the simultaneous examination of between-person and within-person associations in the repeated measures data suggested that (a) children with higher overall RSA also tended to have higher overall PEP; (b) at within-person level, RSA and PEP tended to be reciprocally coordinated; but that (c) when frustration invokes cognitive disengagement, coordination between parasympathetic and sympathetic systems demonstrate compensatory coordination. These findings highlight the extent to which the coordination of autonomic systems is a dynamic state-like phenomenon rather than a trait-like individual differences characteristic.

Grit

Abstract. The Grit scale is a popular measure of achievement-striving behavior. Consisting of two subscales, Consistency of Interests (CI) and Perseverance of Effort (PE), this scale has been repeatedly demonstrated to have high reliability and validity. At the same time, an increasing number of studies explicitly report a low correlation between the subscales and distinct patterns of associations with external measures that each subscale forms. We explored whether there is psychometric evidence that a substantive single grit construct underlies the scale. To answer this question, we investigated the scale structure in a more robust framework than the classical test theory and factor analyses could previously provide. The Russian version of the Grit scale was developed and implemented on a representative sample of high school students ( n = 2,269), and different models of item response theory (IRT), both unidimensional and multidimensional, were compared to find the best fitting model. The results confirmed that the subscales reflect related but independent constructs rather than the whole grit construct. The psychometric properties of the subscales were analyzed with the two-dimensional Partial Credit Model. Both subscales of the Russian version of the Grit scale are unidimensional, have good psychometric properties, and can be used to estimate respondents’ ability.

Toward a Work Motivation Conceptualization of Grit in Organizations

Despite its widespread media acclaim and recognition as a strategic imperative, the role of grit in organizational research remains unclear. This ambiguity resulted from inconsistent empirical findings, thus triggering a pessimistic outlook for the construct across disciplines. To address these issues, we suggest that such confusion and lack of construct and predictive validity stem from not only methodological issues but also a lack of theoretical sophistication. In this article, we address methodological issues, focusing mainly on construct and criterion-related validity, by showing how traditional definitional components of grit are absent in existing measures. Next, we address theoretical issues impeding progress by developing a new work motivation conceptualization of the construct. To do so, we focus primarily on noncognitive ability, purpose-driven long-term goal setting, and task strategy (i.e., short-term goal) adaptation. Finally, we develop an organizing framework examining how, and under what conditions, work-related goal setting manifests, highlighting grit’s distinction from other historically related constructs. Coupled with the assumption that individuals hold higher order organizational goals toward which they are passionate, our organizing framework includes feedback mechanisms accounting for grit’s developmental properties over time. Finally, we acknowledge significant areas for future research and potential practical implications.

Conscientiousness and Effort-Related Cardiac Activity in Response to Piece-Rate Cash Incentives

Although conscientiousness predicts many aspects of motivation, from delay of gratification to higher achievement, its relationship to responses to monetary incentives is surprisingly inconsistent. Several studies have found null or relationships between conscientiousness and behavioral performance in piece-rate, pay-for-performance tasks, in which people earn money for each unit of work completed. In the present study, we examined the role of conscientiousness in effort-related cardiac activity and behavioral performance during a pay-for-performance task. People worked on a self-paced, piece-rate cognitive task in which they earned 1 cent or 5 cents, manipulated within-person, for each correct response. Conscientiousness predicted greater physiological effort (i.e., shorter pre-ejection period [PEP] reactivity) as incentives increased but had no effect on behavioral performance. The findings suggest that conscientiousness is significantly related to effort for piece-rate tasks, and they reinforce a core idea in motivational intensity theory: effort, performance, and persistence are distinct outcomes that often diverge, so drawing conclusions about effort from performance can be complex.

Individual differences in exploration and persistence: Grit and beliefs about ability and reward

The tradeoff between knowing when to seek greater rewards (exploration), and knowing when to settle (exploitation), is critical to success. One dispositional factor that may modulate this tradeoff is "grit." Gritty individuals tend to persist in the face of difficulty and consequently experience greater life success. It is possible that they may also experience a greater tendency to explore in a reward task. However, although most exploration/exploitation tasks manipulate beliefs about the presence/magnitude of rewards in the environment, the belief of one's ability to actually achieve a reward is also critical. As such, we investigated whether individuals higher in grit were more likely to explore, and how beliefs about the magnitude/presence of rewards, and the perceived ability to achieve a reward, modulated their exploration tendencies. Over two experiments, participants completed 4 different exploration/persistence tasks: two that tapped into participant beliefs about the presence/magnitude of rewards, and two that tapped into participant beliefs about their ability to achieve a reward. Participants also completed measures of dispositional grit (Experiment 1a and 1b), conscientiousness (Experiment 1b), and working memory (Experiment 1a and 1b). In both experiments, we found a relationship between the two "belief of rewards" tasks, as well as between the two "belief of ability" tasks, but performance was unrelated across the two types of task. We also found that dispositional grit was strongly associated with greater exploration, but only on the "belief of ability" tasks. Finally, in Experiment 1b we showed that conscientiousness better predicted exploration on the "belief of ability" tasks than grit, suggesting that it is not grittiness per se that is associated with exploration. Overall, our findings showed that individuals high in grit/conscientiousness are more likely to explore, but only when there is a known reward available that they believe they have the ability to achieve.

Grit and self-discipline as predictors of effort and academic attainment

BACKGROUND

Beyond ability, traits related to perseverance, such as grit and self-discipline, are associated with adaptive educational outcomes. Few studies have examined the independent effects of these traits on outcomes and the mechanisms involved.

AIMS

This study estimated parameters of a process model in which grit-perseverance of effort (grit-effort) and consistency of interest (grit-interest) dimensions and self-discipline were independent predictors of students' science grades. The effect of the grit-effort on grades was expected to be mediated by students' self-reported effort on optional out-of-school science learning activities.

SAMPLE

Secondary school students (N = 110) aged between 12 and 14 years.

METHODS

The study adopted a correlational design with measures taken on three occasions. Students completed self-report measures of grit and self-discipline early in the semester and effort on optional out-of-school learning activities 5 weeks later. Students' science grades were collected at the end of the semester. Data were analysed using Bayesian path analyses using non-informative and informative priors derived from previous research.

RESULTS

Consistent with predictions, we found effects of grit-effort on science grades mediated by effort, and self-discipline on grades. Contrary to predictions, we also found an effect of self-discipline on grades mediated by effort. Zero was a credible value for direct effects of grit-effort on grades, and grit-interest on effort and grades.

CONCLUSIONS

Results suggest grit-effort and self-discipline relate to effort on educational activities linked to better grades. The direct effect of self-discipline on grades suggests that it may be related to other activities that determine science attainment.

Staying Alert? Neural Correlates of the Association Between Grit and Attention Networks

Recent research has demonstrated that heightened motivational levels promote enhanced attention capabilities. However, the relation between attentional systems and the trait-based ability to sustain a motivational state long-term is less understood. Grit refers to one's ability and willingness to pursue long-term goals despite setbacks. This report presents the results of two studies conducted to examine the relation between facets of Grit-Consistency and Perseverance and attention networks, assessed using the Attention Network Test (ANT). Across both studies Grit-Perseverance was related to performance on the ANT. In Study 1, Grit-Perseverance was negatively related to alerting indicating that individuals who were high on Perseverance were more likely to show a smaller alerting effect. In particular, Grit-Perseverance was negatively correlated with reaction times in the no cue trials. In Study 2, we assessed ERP components associated with attention networks. Individuals with higher scores on Grit-Perseverance were more likely to demonstrate smaller mean difference in N1 amplitudes for double cue relative to no cue trials, suggesting an attenuated alerting effect. Our findings indicate that individuals high on Grit-Perseverance may have enhanced sustained attention. Specifically individuals with high Grit-Perseverance appear to exhibit a more efficient alerting system in the no cue trials. Implications of high levels of Grit on cognitive performance are discussed.

Psychopathology, everyday behaviors, and autonomic activity in daily life: An ambulatory impedance cardiography study of depression, anxiety, and hypomanic traits

Discrepancies regarding the link between autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity and psychopathology may be due in part to inconsistent measurement of non-psychological factors, including eating, drinking, activity, posture, and interacting with others. Rather than sources of noise, behaviors like being active and being with others may be the behavioral pathways that connect psychopathology symptoms to autonomic activity. The present study examined whether behaviors mediate the association of depression, anxiety, and hypomanic traits with ANS by using experience sampling methodology and ambulatory impedance cardiography. Participants (n = 49) completed measures of affect and one day of experience sampling and ambulatory impedance cardiography. The association of hypomanic traits with heart rate variability and heart rate was mediated by physical activity, and social activity mediated the association of depressive symptoms and respiration. These results highlight the importance of considering the pathways between psychopathology and ANS and the mediating role that everyday behaviors play.

Motivation to comply with task rules and multitasking performance: The role of need for cognitive closure and goal importance

In three studies, we examined the role task rules play in multitasking performance. We postulated that rules should be especially important for individuals highly motivated to have structure and clear answers, i.e., those high on need for cognitive closure (NFC). High NFC should thus be related to greater compliance with task rules. Specifically, given high goal importance, NFC should be more strongly related to a multitasking strategy when multitasking is imposed by the rules, and to a mono-tasking strategy when monotasking is imposed by the rules. This should translate into better multitasking or mono-tasking performance, depending on condition. Overall, the results were supportive as NFC was related to a more mono-tasking strategy in the mono-tasking condition (Studies 1 and 2 only) and more dual-tasking strategy in the dual-tasking condition (Studies 1–3). This translated into respective differences in performance. The effects were significant only when goal importance was high (Study 1) and held when cognitive ability was controlled for (Study 2).

Reciprocal feedback between self-concept and goal pursuit in daily life

OBJECTIVE

We hypothesized that self-knowledge and goal perseverance are mutually reinforcing because of the roles of self-knowledge in directing goal pursuit, and of goal pursuit in structuring the self-concept.

METHOD

To test this hypothesis, we used a daily diary design with 97 college-aged participants for 40 days to assess whether daily self-concept clarity and grit predict one another's next-day levels. Data were analyzed using multilevel cross-lagged panel modeling.

RESULTS

Results indicated that daily self-concept clarity and grit had positive and symmetric associations with each other across time, while controlling for their respective previous values. Similar crossed results were also found when testing the model using individual daily self-concept clarity and grit items.

CONCLUSIONS

The results are the first to indicate the existence of reinforcing feedback loops between self-concept clarity and grit, such that fluctuations in the clarity of self-knowledge are associated with fluctuations in goal resolve, and vice versa. Discussion centers on the implications of these results for the functional link between mind and action and on the study's heuristic value for subsequent research.

Pre-ejection period reactivity to reward is associated with anhedonic symptoms of depression among adolescents

Pre-ejection period (PEP) reactivity to reward has been posited as a specific index of behavioral approach and incentive motivation, suggesting it might be uniquely associated with the affective and motivational deficits of anhedonia. This study evaluated PEP reactivity to a reward task as a predictor of depressive symptoms among adolescents, examining global depressive symptoms as well as specific anhedonic and nonanhedonic symptoms clusters. Participants included 76 adolescents, ages 11-15 years (52% female). This study found marginal support for an association between PEP reactivity to reward and concurrent anhedonia symptoms, but no association with nonanhedonic or the global scale. Findings are discussed in terms of potential associations between peripheral psychophysiological measures and dopaminergic functioning and also the utility of this measure for future research on anhedonia.

Grit: An important characteristic in learners

Grit, or the perseverance and passion for long-term goals, has been associated with successful pursuits in academics, competitions, and professions outside of pharmacy. The fortitude needed to withstand tremendous physical, mental, and emotional stressors may be better predicted by grit than other factors. In those who demonstrate grit, a combination of factors may reflect academic achievement. It appears that achievement results when talent and effort are combined, with particular attention being paid to effort, as it is a function of the direction, duration, and intensity of a person's actions toward a goal. It appears that grit may be a good discriminating factor when evaluating individuals in other professions. The objective of this short commentary is to provide an introduction to the non-pharmacy literature surrounding grit and to suggest its applications in pharmacy.

Mathematical detection of aortic valve opening (B point) in impedance cardiography: A comparison of three popular algorithms

The preejection period (PEP) is an index of left ventricle contractility widely used in psychophysiological research. Its computation requires detecting the moment when the aortic valve opens, which coincides with the B point in the first derivative of impedance cardiogram (ICG). Although this operation has been traditionally made via visual inspection, several algorithms based on derivative calculations have been developed to enable an automatic performance of the task. However, despite their popularity, data about their empirical validation are not always available. The present study analyzes the performance in the estimation of the aortic valve opening of three popular algorithms, by comparing their performance with the visual detection of the B point made by two independent scorers. Algorithm 1 is based on the first derivative of the ICG, Algorithm 2 on the second derivative, and Algorithm 3 on the third derivative. Algorithm 3 showed the highest accuracy rate (78.77%), followed by Algorithm 1 (24.57%) and Algorithm 2 (13.82%). In the automatic computation of PEP, Algorithm 2 resulted in significantly more missed cycles (48.57%) than Algorithm 1 (6.3%) and Algorithm 3 (3.5%). Algorithm 2 also estimated a significantly lower average PEP (70 ms), compared with the values obtained by Algorithm 1 (119 ms) and Algorithm 3 (113 ms). Our findings indicate that the algorithm based on the third derivative of the ICG performs significantly better. Nevertheless, a visual inspection of the signal proves indispensable, and this article provides a novel visual guide to facilitate the manual detection of the B point.

Perfectionism and Effort-Related Cardiac Activity: Do Perfectionists Try Harder?

Do perfectionists try harder? Previous research on perfectionism and effort has used self-report items and task performance as indicators of effort. The current study investigated whether individual differences in perfectionism predicted effort-related cardiac activity during a mental effort task. Based on past research that suggests adaptive perfectionism is associated with higher effort, it was hypothesized that self-oriented perfectionism (SOP) would predict increased effort on the task. One hundred and eleven college students completed the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (MPS) and a self-paced parity task in which they received a small cash reward (3 cents) for each correct response. Impedance cardiography was used to assess autonomic reactivity, and regression models tested whether SOP and socially prescribed perfectionism (SPP) explained autonomic reactivity. Overall, participants showed both sympathetic (faster pre-ejection period; PEP) and parasympathetic activation (elevated high-frequency heart rate variability; HRV) during the task, reflecting higher effort and engagement. Contrary to predictions, individual differences in perfectionism did not moderate cardiac reactivity. These findings draw attention to the importance of assessing physiological components of effort and motivation directly rather than inferring them from task performance or self-reported effort.

Do depressive symptoms "blunt" effort? An analysis of cardiac engagement and withdrawal for an increasingly difficult task

Research on depression and effort has suggested "depressive blunting"-lower cardiovascular reactivity in response to challenges and stressors. Many studies, however, find null effects or higher reactivity. The present research draws upon motivational intensity theory, a broad model of effort that predicts cases in which depressive symptoms should increase or decrease effort. Because depressive symptoms can influence task-difficulty appraisals-people see tasks as subjectively harder-people high in depressive symptoms should engage higher effort at objectively easier levels of difficulty but also quit sooner. A sample of adults completed a mental effort challenge with four levels of difficulty, from very easy to difficult-but-feasible. Depressive symptoms were assessed with the CESD and DASS; effort-related cardiac activity was assessed via markers of contractility (e.g., the cardiac pre-ejection period [PEP]) obtained with impedance cardiography. The findings supported the theory's predictions. When the task was relatively easier, people high in depressive symptoms showed higher contractility (shorter PEP), consistent with greater effort. When the task was relatively harder, people high in depressive symptoms showed diminished contractility, consistent with quitting. The results suggest that past research has been observing a small part of a larger trajectory of trying and quitting, and they illustrate the value of a theoretically grounded analysis of depressive symptoms and effort-related cardiac activity.

Respiratory Changes in Response to Cognitive Load: A Systematic Review

When people focus attention or carry out a demanding task, their breathing changes. But which parameters of respiration vary exactly and can respiration reliably be used as an index of cognitive load? These questions are addressed in the present systematic review of empirical studies investigating respiratory behavior in response to cognitive load. Most reviewed studies were restricted to time and volume parameters while less established, yet meaningful parameters such as respiratory variability have rarely been investigated. The available results show that respiratory behavior generally reflects cognitive processing and that distinct parameters differ in sensitivity: While mentally demanding episodes are clearly marked by faster breathing and higher minute ventilation, respiratory amplitude appears to remain rather stable. The present findings further indicate that total variability in respiratory rate is not systematically affected by cognitive load whereas the correlated fraction decreases. In addition, we found that cognitive load may lead to overbreathing as indicated by decreased end-tidal CO₂ but is also accompanied by elevated oxygen consumption and CO₂ release. However, additional research is needed to validate the findings on respiratory variability and gas exchange measures. We conclude by outlining recommendations for future research to increase the current understanding of respiration under cognitive load.

Depressive-like immobility behavior and genotype × stress interactions in male mice of selected strains

In this study, we investigated whether basal immobility time of C57BL/6J mice, which are commonly used in transgenesis, interferes with detection of depressive-like behavior in the tail suspension test (TST) after chronic restraint stress (CRS). We included in the study mice of the C57BL/6N strain, not previously compared with C57BL/6J for behavior in the TST, and contrasted both strains with NMRI mice which exhibit low basal immobility. NMRI, C57BL/6J, and C57BL/6N male mice (n = 20 per strain) were tested under basal conditions and after CRS (2 h daily for 14 d). NMRI and C57BL/6J mice were differentiated in the TST by low and high basal immobility times, respectively, while the C57BL/6N and NMRI mice showed similar levels of basal immobility. CRS extended the immobility time of NMRI mice in the TST, whereas both C57BL/6J and C57BL/6N mice were unaffected regardless of their initial phenotype. We explored whether detailed analysis of activity microstructure revealed effects of CRS in the TST, which are not apparent in the overall comparison of total immobility time. Interestingly, unlike C57BL/6J and/6N strains which showed no sensitivity to CRS, stressed NRMI mice displayed distinct activity microstructure. In contrast to behavioral differences, all stressed mice showed significant retardation in body weight gain, decreased thymus weight and increased adrenal cortex size. However, after CRS, enlargement of the adrenal medulla was observed in both C57BL/6J and C57BL/6N mice, suggesting similar sympatho-medullary activation and stress coping mechanism in these substrains.

Keep on Truckin’ or Stay the Course? Exploring Grit Dimensions as Differential Predictors of Educational Achievement, Satisfaction, and Intentions

In an ongoing effort to identify predictors of educational success and achievement, grit has emerged as a seemingly useful disposition. Grit is conceived as the combination of perseverance of effort and consistency of interest over time, but the predictive utility of these two dimensions has rarely been explored separately, and the limited research available has considered a small number of outcomes. This article draws upon three samples at two universities to examine the relationships between grit dimensions and various student outcomes. Multiple regression results indicated that perseverance of effort predicted greater academic adjustment, college grade point average, college satisfaction, sense of belonging, faculty–student interactions, and intent to persist, while it was inversely related to intent to change majors. Consistency of interest was associated with less intent to change majors and careers, but it was not significantly associated with any other outcome in the expected direction when controlling for other variables.

Creative motivation: creative achievement predicts cardiac autonomic markers of effort during divergent thinking

Executive approaches to creativity emphasize that generating creative ideas can be hard and requires mental effort. Few studies, however, have examined effort-related physiological activity during creativity tasks. Using motivational intensity theory as a framework, we examined predictors of effort-related cardiac activity during a creative challenge. A sample of 111 adults completed a divergent thinking task. Sympathetic (PEP and RZ) and parasympathetic (RSA and RMSSD) outcomes were assessed using impedance cardiography. As predicted, people with high creative achievement (measured with the Creative Achievement Questionnaire) showed significantly greater increases in sympathetic activity from baseline to task, reflecting higher effort. People with more creative achievements generated ideas that were significantly more creative, and creative performance correlated marginally with PEP and RZ. The results support the view that creative thought can be a mental challenge.

Effort Deficits and Depression: The Influence of Anhedonic Depressive Symptoms on Cardiac Autonomic Activity During a Mental Challenge

Motivational approaches to depression emphasize the role of dysfunctional motivational dynamics, particularly diminished reward and incentive processes associated with anhedonia. A study examined how anhedonic depressive symptoms, measured continuously across a wide range of severity, influenced the physiological mobilization of effort during a cognitive task. Using motivational intensity theory as a guide, we expected that the diminished incentive value associated with anhedonic depressive symptoms would reduce effort during a "do your best" challenge (also known as an unfixed or self-paced challenge), in which effort is a function of the value of achieving the task's goal. Using impedance cardiography, two cardiac autonomic responses were assessed: pre-ejection period (PEP), a measure of sympathetic activity and our primary measure of interest, and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), a measure of parasympathetic activity. As expected, PEP slowed from baseline to task as anhedonic depressive symptoms increased (as measured with the DASS Depression scale), indicating diminished effort-related sympathetic activity. No significant effects appeared for RSA. The findings support motivational intensity theory as a translational model of effort processes in depression and clarify some inconsistent effects of depressive symptoms on effort-related physiology found in past work.