Thank you for posting the information and you bring up many good questions. I'm also astonished by the numbers for the study.

Did you see the Vita for the current editor?
www.bsu.edu/edpsych/media/pdf/tracy-cross-vita-02.05.07.pdf

Some of the points in the paper reminded me of Carol Dweck's research on growth vs. fixed mindset which I find more useful. http://www.dukegiftedletter.com/articles/vol8no3_feature.html