title: The effect of creating a mental set on cognitive learning and affective behaviors of nursing students.
abstract: BACKGROUND. A mental set predisposes a person to view and approach a problem in a predetermined manner. Affective behaviors determine whether students value what they learn. PURPOSE. This study investigated the effect of mental set in the form of negative impressions and anxieties about a nursing course (pathophysiology) on cognitive learning and affective behaviors. RESULTS. Results showed that, irrespective of type of mental set, all students learned significantly. Students who entered the course with a negative set scored significantly lower in affective behaviors than students who entered with a positive or neutral mental set. Predispositions stayed stable; significant changes occurred within each group, but not enough to change a negative set into a positive set or vice versa. IMPLICATIONS. Implications for nursing education and creation of affective behaviors conducive for life-long learning are presented.
authors: Loucine School of Nursing, California State University, Long Beach, CA, USA. Huckabay@csulb.edu
authors: Loucine M D
authors: LM
authors: Huckabay
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology*; D001290:Attitude; D003071:Cognition; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult