This is Mrs. Olsen, the art teacher at Reach Your Pawsibilities Elementary School. After reading about the importance of culture in developing genius, she has decided to incorporate several psychological concepts into the students' next project: drawing still lifes. She is confident that her approach will result in some true masterpieces!

When the students arrive to class, Mrs. Olsen announces that there will be a competition to see who can draw the best still life. She believes that the best way to motivate her students to work hard is by encouraging agonism, or a spirit of healthy competition. Agonism is a concept originated by the Greeks, who encouraged competition not only in athletics but also in the arts. Mrs. Olsen believes that competition between artists during the Italian Renaissance helped produce many of its great masters, and she is hoping to discover the next Michelangelo or Raphael.

One of the students, Parker Pig, is excited about the competition. He loves gaining new skills and winning awards, and he starts working as soon as Mrs. Olsen announces the project. Parker Pig would be considered high in achievement motivation (HAM). HAMs perform better under directly competitive conditions and are motivated to work hard, work consistently, and delay gratification in pursuit of long-term goals.

However, another art student, Shelly Sheep, is feeling anxious about the competition. She doesn't like being compared with her peers, and she wishes she could go back to coloring books because they were easier. Shelly Sheep would be considered low in achievement motivation (LAM). LAMs dislike competition and don't seek it out. When they are forced into competition, they are less happy and less productive.

I don't know what to do!

Mrs. Olsen sees that some students like Parker Pig are doing well with the still life project, but some students like Shelly Sheep are struggling. While Parker Pig is halfway done with his drawing, Shelly hasn't even finished her practice sketch. Mrs. Olsen decides she needs to ask her psychologist friend Dr. Harrison for advice.

Dr. Harrison tells Mrs. Olsen that the best way to help LAM students like Shelly Sheep succeed is to create short-term tasks that are meaningful and relate to long-term goals. This can help even LAMs relish the challenge of learning. He also tells her to encourage female students to take risks, because females are less likely to be HAMs in Western cultures.

3D

Mrs. Olsen decides to have her students engage in deliberate practice, which she read about in a study by Anders Ericsson. Deliberate practice involves practicing skills you haven't mastered using well-defined goals and the guidance of a teacher. She decides the first goal should be the concept of linear perspective, and she explains it to the class. Mrs. Olsen then reviews the students' work and gives advice on how to improve the illusion of three dimensions in their work.