DeLeon Gray
My research is in the area of social cognition and motivation. I am particularly interested in how students perceive, remember, and interpret information about themselves and others, and how these mental representations are associated with achievement patterns in schools. My research bridges educational and social psychology. By examining the ways in which social cues in school environments energize and direct students’ academic beliefs and behavior, my work has implications for both basic psychology and educational practice.
Students’ social perceptions of their learning environments influence their motivation, achievement, and well-being at school, both positively and negatively. I seek to highlight effective social contextual strategies that educators can use to produce adaptive academic behaviors in students and to counteract maladaptive behaviors. My current work examines the ways in which students channel their efforts academically to help them “fit in” and “stand out”.
Supervisors: Eric M. Anderman
Students’ social perceptions of their learning environments influence their motivation, achievement, and well-being at school, both positively and negatively. I seek to highlight effective social contextual strategies that educators can use to produce adaptive academic behaviors in students and to counteract maladaptive behaviors. My current work examines the ways in which students channel their efforts academically to help them “fit in” and “stand out”.
Supervisors: Eric M. Anderman
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Papers by DeLeon Gray
Method/rationale: We purposefully sampled pre-service teachers at a large university in the US. Two research assistants tracked pre-service teachers’ contribution attempts during in-class discussions. In study 1 (N = 164), mediational pathways were examined to understand whether and why students participated more during the semester when they perceived contributions as a means of standing out in class. In study 2 (N = 143), we administered a distinctiveness intervention to half of the participants at the beginning of the semester.
Findings: Results of the first study revealed that participants who believed contributing to class discussions was a means to stand out placed higher importance on contributing and made more contribution attempts. Results of the second study revealed that the distinctiveness intervention positively influenced the number of contribution attempts made during large-group discussions.
Limitations: We did not assess whether participants exposed to the distinctiveness intervention shifted in their perceptions of the importance of recognising diverse students’ voices in their future k-12 classrooms.
Conclusions: Findings support the proposition that a sense of belonging is not a passive, but rather
an active process. This study demonstrates that one vehicle for satisfying belonging and identity needs
is through contributions in the classroom.
Method/rationale: We purposefully sampled pre-service teachers at a large university in the US. Two research assistants tracked pre-service teachers’ contribution attempts during in-class discussions. In study 1 (N = 164), mediational pathways were examined to understand whether and why students participated more during the semester when they perceived contributions as a means of standing out in class. In study 2 (N = 143), we administered a distinctiveness intervention to half of the participants at the beginning of the semester.
Findings: Results of the first study revealed that participants who believed contributing to class discussions was a means to stand out placed higher importance on contributing and made more contribution attempts. Results of the second study revealed that the distinctiveness intervention positively influenced the number of contribution attempts made during large-group discussions.
Limitations: We did not assess whether participants exposed to the distinctiveness intervention shifted in their perceptions of the importance of recognising diverse students’ voices in their future k-12 classrooms.
Conclusions: Findings support the proposition that a sense of belonging is not a passive, but rather
an active process. This study demonstrates that one vehicle for satisfying belonging and identity needs
is through contributions in the classroom.