The Language of Achievement.

Language is both a reflection of the status quo and a factor in perpetuating the status quo. People use language to encode their own experiences; memories are the encoded versions of rPality. People learn how to characterize their experience by seeing how others characterize their own and others' experiences. When asked to talk about successful men and women, different words are typically used to describe the behaviors associated with men's versus women's success (such as, men are "ambitious," women are "power hungry"). Besides the different emotional reactions to different words and phrases, part of the process of encoding experiences involves expressing attributions of motives and abiliti. Looking at how people talk about achievement gives others a window into their motivational systems. Individuals use language as it has been modeled to them to encode their experiences and then those encodings become reality. Language that reflects the status quo then influences how they think and behave. By listening closely to examples of the language women and girls use to describe their achievements, a better understanding of the relationship between language, thought, and achievement behavior can be gained. (MG) *************************************************a^;. ****************** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document. * ********************************************************************* The Language of Achievement Dianne D. Horgan Memphis State University U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTE CI This document has been reproduced as received horn the person or organization originating it. Cl Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction Quality. Points ol view or °colons stated in thtsdocument do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. Language is both a reflection of the status quo and -a factor in perpetuating the status quo. The mechanisms by which language can shape our thoughts are many. Most obviously, language spoken to us or about us affects how we feel about ourselves. But equally important, we use language to encode our own experiences. Our memories, then, are the encoded versions of reality. We may feel angry now, but if we tell ourselves we feel enraged, then years later the experience we will remember is rage. Our experiences shape our behavior, but it is the way we describe and interpret our experiences that matters--not the objective experience. Thus, having made an A in calculus may not be the experience that shapes our beliefs about our math abilities. Rather, the "story" we told ourselves and others about that A determines the set of attributions we make about our abilities: "I lucked out. " "The instructor liked me. " "I worked incredibly hard, but don't really have any math ability. " "The teacher overlooked some of my errors. " "My boyfriend tutored me. " These "stories" become the truth--not that A in calculus. We, of course, learn how to characterize our experience by seeing how others characterize their and our experiences. If we hear other women trivialize their success, we will follow suit. If we hear other women blame themselves for failure, then we come to believe that that is the appropriate story about our own failures. It has been well documented that men and women both interpret successes and failures differently for men versus women: men's successes tend to be attributed more to ability, women's more to luck; men's failures tend to be attributed more to bad luck, women's to lack of ability. A man's ability leads to his success; women's success is more likely to be luck. In my classes, I ask students to report, anonymously, what others say about their academic success. While many women do report that significant others are supportive and positive, others report egodamaging comments, such as "A lot of people must have done well," "Why can't you do well in ALL your courses? " Many comments are of the "that's great, but. " variety: "That's great, but what about all the time the kids spent with a baby-sitter? " Or, "That's great, but what about next semester when I'll be busier at my job and won't have time to help with the housework? " Or, "That's great, but it's "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY