Two experiments investigated the extent to which the concreteness of titles affects metacognitive text expectations, study motivation, and comprehension test performance. Sixty-three American and 61 German students were presented with three titles (either concrete or abstract), based upon which the students estimated their expected ease-of-comprehension, and the expected interestingness, of three expository texts. Students also reported how motivated they were to study the texts. The students then studied the texts and completed comprehension tests. The results revealed that students expected texts with concrete (as opposed to abstract) titles to be easier to comprehend and more interesting, and were more motivated to study those texts. Structural Equation Modelling revealed that the effects of titles on reported study motivation were mediated by expected interestingness. In addition to that, expected interestingness and reported study motivation were partially mediated by expected ease-of-comprehension. Comprehension test performance was not affected. The results provide robust evidence for positive motivational effects of concrete titles. More specifically, the results indicate that concrete titles—which are specific and easy to imagine—promote students’ motivation to study expository texts by encouraging the students to expect that they will find the texts interesting, and that they will be able to understand the texts.

中文翻译：

---

标题的具体性影响元认知和学习动机

两项实验研究了标题的具体性在多大程度上影响元认知文本的期望，学习动机和理解测试的性能。分别向63名美国学生和61名德国学生提供了三个标题（具体标题或抽象标题），根据这些标题，他们估计了他们对三种说明性文本的预期理解性和预期趣味性。学生们还报告了他们学习课文的动机。然后，学生学习了课文并完成了理解测试。结果表明，学生期望带有具体（而不是抽象）标题的文本更容易理解和更有趣，并且更有动力去学习这些文本。结构方程模型揭示，标题对报道的学习动机的影响是由预期的兴趣介导的。除此之外，预期的趣味性和所报告的研究动机部分由预期的易理解性介导。理解测试性能未受影响。结果为具体标题的积极激励作用提供了有力的证据。更具体地说，结果表明，具体的标题（具体且易于想象）通过鼓励学生期望他们会发现有趣的文本，并能够理解这些文本，从而激发了他们学习说明文的动力。 。理解测试性能未受影响。结果为具体标题的积极激励作用提供了有力的证据。更具体地说，结果表明，具体的标题（具体且易于想象）通过鼓励学生期望他们会发现有趣的文本，并能够理解这些文本，从而激发了他们学习说明文的动力。 。理解测试性能未受影响。结果为具体标题的积极激励作用提供了有力的证据。更具体地说，结果表明，具体的标题（具体且易于想象）通过鼓励学生期望他们会发现有趣的文本，并能够理解这些文本，从而激发了他们学习说明文的动力。 。