是在“卷”我吗？大学生学业零和信念影响对他人努力的解读及其后果

doi:10.16187/j.cnki.issn1001-4918.2026.04.06

摘要/Abstract

摘要： 为揭示“内卷”现象及激烈学业竞争背后的心理机制,本研究通过两项研究(共三个子研究,N=571)探讨了大学生的学业零和信念(对“一个人的学业成功意味着另一个人的学业失败”的认同程度)如何影响其对同伴努力行为的解读(以超越他人为目的的竞争解读或以提高自身为目的的发展解读),以及解读方式带来的情绪与行为后果。研究1的问卷调查发现,大学生个体持有的学业零和信念越强,越倾向于对他人的学业努力行为做出竞争而非发展解读。研究2通过实验法进一步验证了二者的因果关系,即在启动高学业零和信念后,个体更倾向于将他人的学业努力行为视为以超越他人而非提高自身为目的,进而产生了更高水平的学业焦虑(研究2a)与过度努力行为(研究2b)。总体而言,本研究揭示了学业零和信念、对他人努力的解读方式是引发激烈学业竞争的重要认知性因素,且对他人努力的竞争性解读是连接学业零和信念与学业焦虑、过度努力等不良后果的关键心理机制,这些发现可以为改善教育环境和促进学生心理健康提供参考。

关键词: 竞争, 零和信念, 努力, 学业焦虑, 内卷

Abstract: To uncover the psychological mechanisms underlying the phenomenon of “involution” and intense academic competition, the present research conducted two studies (comprising three sub-studies, N=571) to examine how undergraduates’ academic zero-sum beliefs (i.e., the extent to which one endorses the idea that one student’s academic success necessarily means another student’s failure) shape their interpretations of others’ academic efforts (aiming at surpassing others or improving themselves), as well as the emotional and behavioral consequences of such interpretations. Study 1 preliminarily found that the stronger the academic zero-sun beliefs held by individuals, the more they tended to interpret peers’ academic efforts as competitive attempts to surpass others rather than as efforts aimed at self-improvement. Study 2 employed experimental methods to examine the causal relationships between academic zero-sum beliefs and the interpretation of others’ efforts. Specifically, after being primed with high academic zero-beliefs, participants were more likely to view peers’ academic efforts as aiming at surpassing others rather than improving themselves. This interpretation, in turn, led to higher levels of academic anxiety (Study 2a) and over-effort behaviors (Study 2b). Overall, the present research identifies academic zero-sum beliefs and interpretations of others’ efforts as key cognitive factors driving intense academic competition, and highlights that competitive interpretations serve as a crucial psychological mechanism linking zero-sum beliefs with adverse outcomes such as academic anxiety and over-effort. These findings shed light on psychological processes underlying intense academic competition, providing insights for improving the educational environment and promoting students’ mental health.

Key words: competition, zero-sum belief, effort, academic anxiety, involution

中图分类号:

B844

唐凤华, 翟予童, 李家瑶, 王芳. 是在“卷”我吗？大学生学业零和信念影响对他人努力的解读及其后果[J]. 心理发展与教育, 2026, 42(4): 512-524.

TANG Fenghua, ZHAI Yutong, LI Jiayao, WANG Fang. Is It a Rat Race? How College Students’ Academic Zero-sum Beliefs Influence the Interpretation of Others’ Academic Efforts and Its Consequences[J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2026, 42(4): 512-524.

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