Varying Problem Effort and Choice: Using the Interspersal Technique to Influence Choice Towards More Effortful Assignments

College students were exposed to two pairs of mathematics assignments. Assignment Pair A included a high-effort assignment containing 18 long three-digit × two-digit (3×2) multiplication problems with all numerals in each problem being equal to or greater than four and a moderate-effort assignment that contained nine long problems and nine interspersed moderate 3×2 problems with numerals less than four. Assignment Pair B contained similar assignment sheets, the exception being that the high-effort assignment contained six additional one-digit × one-digit (1×1) problems interspersed following every third 3×2 problem. After working on each assignment pair, students ranked assignments and chose a new assignment for homework. Analysis of Assignment Pair A revealed that students overwhelmingly preferred the moderate-effort assignment. Analysis of interaction effects showed that when additional brief problems were added to the high-effort assignments, the proportion of students who chose the high-effort assignment for homework and ranked it as being less difficult, time consuming, and effortful increased significantly. Results support previous research on effort and choice and the hypothesis that a completed discrete problem may serve a reinforcing stimulus.