The role of state and trait motivational regulation for procrastinatory behavior in academic contexts: Insights from two diary studies

Academic procrastination can theoretically be conceptualized as a failure in motivational self-regulation. It can be assumed that besides the mere use of motivational regulation strategies, fitting motivational regulation strategies with the current motivational problem can also have beneficial effects on academic procrastination. As both academic procrastination and motivational regulation can be conceptualized as over time fluctuating and situation-specific behaviors, not only trait, but also state fractions of these constructs have to be considered. To elucidate the interrelations between academic procrastinatory behavior and motivational regulation, we therefore examined trait use, state use, trait fit, and state fit of motivational regulation strategies. To test their relevance for academic procrastinatory behavior, we conducted two longitudinal and situation-specific diary studies with 128 and 218 university students. Results of growth curve modeling indicate that academic procrastinatory behavior varies between persons, declines during exam preparation, and can be reduced by using well-fitting motivational regulation strategies. Specifically, both trait and state strategy fit were negatively associated with academic procrastinatory behavior, while mere strategy use was not.     

拖延行为的心理学分析

拖延是个体自愿做出的一种非理性的回避行为,它不仅导致成就低下,而且会降低人的主观幸福感.拖延分为特质拖延和状态拖延两类,相应地,拖延行为的产生既有个体内部的原因,也有情境因素的作用.从个体角度来讲,低严谨性、低自尊、低能力和缺乏动机是主要因素,而任务厌恶和奖惩时限较长是影响拖延的情境因素.对拖延行为的干预应从主客观两方面着手.     

The effect of phubbing,a behavioral problem,on academic procrastination: The mediating and moderating role of academic self-efficacy

Our preoccupation with smartphones affects our attitudes. Our changing attitudes also create disruptions in our daily routines. Smartphones, the most common technological device we use, have exposed individuals to phubbing behavior. The behavioral problem we define as phubbing causes disruptions and procrastination in our academic responsibilities. In this study, the relationship between phubbing frequency and academic procrastination tendencies of students and the effect of academic self-efficacy on this relationship were performed. For this purpose, in this study, the mediator and moderator role of academic self-efficacy in the relationship between academic procrastination and phubbing was examined. The study group of the research consisted of 518 students in late adolescence from Turkey. 323 (62.4%) of the participants were females and 195 (37.6%) of them were males (Mage = 19.4 years). They completed questionnaires measuring phubbing tendency, academic procrastination, academic self-efficacy, and personal information form. It was found that academic self-efficacy was a partial mediator in the relationship between academic procrastination and phubbing. In addition, academic self-efficacy also had a moderator effect. According to these results, it can be said that the acquisition of academic self-efficacy can reduce the negative effects of phubbing, which is a behavioral problem, and the tendency to academic procrastination.     

Academic procrastination and motivation of adolescents in Turkey

This article presents a study of academic procrastination and associated motivation variables in 508 adolescents from a general secondary school in central Turkey. Girls reported higher levels of self‐efficacy for self‐regulation and predicted higher Turkish grades than boys, but there was no difference in levels of procrastination. Academic self‐efficacy was a stronger predictor of procrastination for girls than for boys, but for both groups self‐efficacy for self‐regulation was the strongest predictor of procrastination. Most participants (83%) reported spending one hour or more procrastinating per day, with writing tasks the most prone to procrastination for boys and girls. When procrastinating, Turkish adolescent boys were more likely to spend time with electronic media (watching TV, emailing, going on‐line, and, in particular, playing computer games), whereas girls were most likely to read books, magazines, and newspapers. The article concludes with implications for researchers, and also for parents and educators of adolescents.     

中学生英语学习动机调控策略研究

本文旨在研究中学生在英语学习中对动机调控策略的使用情况及其和英语成绩的关系。采用问卷的方式对105名高中二年级学生进行了调查,并使用SPSS11.5对数据进行了描述性统计分析、独立样本T检验和相关分析。结果表明：中学生对八种动机调控策略的使用频率均达到了中等或较高水平;女生对动机调控策略的使用频率高于男生;八种动机调控策略中,除后果设想之外的其他七种策略均与英语成绩正相关。     

Assessment policies and academic performance within a single course: the role of motivation and self-regulation

Abstract

Despite the frequently reported association of characteristics of assessment policies with academic performance, the mechanisms through which these policies affect performance are largely unknown. Therefore, the current research investigated performance, motivation and self-regulation for two groups of students following the same statistics course, but under two assessment policies: education and child studies (ECS) students studied under an assessment policy with relatively higher stakes, a higher performance standard and a lower resit standard, compared with Psychology students. Results show similar initial performance, but more use of resits and higher final performance (post-resit) under the ECS policy compared with the psychology policy. In terms of motivation and self-regulation, under the ECS policy significantly higher minimum grade goals, performance self-efficacy, task value, time and study environment management, and test anxiety were observed, but there were no significant differences in aimed grade goals, academic self-efficacy and effort regulation. The relations of motivational and self-regulatory factors with academic performance were similar between both assessment policies. Thus, educators should be keenly aware of how characteristics of assessment policies are related to students’ motivation, self-regulation and academic performance.     

Factors related to Taiwanese adolescents' academic procrastination,time management,and perfectionism

There is a shortage of studies that explore adolescents' academic procrastination. The author hence attempted to examine the mechanisms determining Taiwanese adolescent students' perfectionistic tendencies, time management, and academic procrastination. A total of 405 eighth-grade Taiwanese students completed a self-reported survey assessing their perceptions of classroom structure, parental expectations and criticism, perfectionistic tendencies, time management, and academic procrastination. Findings of regression analyses indicated that parental expectations and criticism were the key predictors of students' adaptive and maladaptive perfectionism. Students' perceptions of classroom structure also positively predicted their adaptive perfectionism. Moreover, results of hierarchical regressions suggested that perceived classroom structure, parental expectations and criticism, as well as adaptive perfectionism all emerged as predictors of time management. With regard to procrastination on homework and examination preparation, parental expectations and adaptive perfectionism were negative predictors, whereas parental criticism and maladaptive perfectionism were positive predictors. Also, time management negatively predicted academic procrastination.     

Reducing statistics anxiety and academic procrastination among Israeli students: A pilot program

Many college students consider statistical courses as frightening and demanding, yielding high anxiety and low competence, and correlating with maladaptive academic behaviors and low achievement. With undergraduate students, the present pre-post study compared a supportive online teaching program utilizing mandatory statistical exercises (n = 37) with a no intervention, optional exercise statistics class (n = 32). We evaluated whether our statistics teaching intervention decreased test anxiety and academic procrastination and increased academic self-efficacy and academic achievements. Results indicated a decrease in academic procrastination and test anxiety at course end for intervention group and an increase in test anxiety for control group. At the end of the course intervention group reported higher academic self-efficacy and achievements. Teaching statistics using mandatory supportive activities might contribute to more positive psychological outcomes (eg, higher academic self-efficacy and lower academic procrastination) and higher academic achievements.     

高职英语专业学生学习动机调控研究

本文对高职英语专业学生学习动机调控策略的使用情况进行了实证性研究,利用探索性因子分析得出8种学习动机调控策略,分别为：掌握目标唤起、兴趣提升、后果设想、自我激励、竞争压力、意志控制、环境调控和表现目标唤起。研究表明：高职英语专业学生在学习中经常使用动机调控策略,在具有中国大学生使用动机调控策略的共性之外,也具有一定的独特性。教师应该针对高职学生的特点帮助他们学会调控学习动机。     

Relationships between motivational strategies and cognitive learning in distance education courses

This study examines the relationships between students’ academic levels, the use of motivational regulation strategies, and cognitive learning strategies. A total of 141 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in online distance courses participated in the study. The findings show that students use different motivational regulation strategies and cognitive learning strategies depending on their academic levels. Additionally, hierarchical regression analyses using two dependent variables (i.e., surface level learning strategy and deep processing level learning strategy) indicate that a surface level learning strategy (i.e., rehearsal) and deep processing level strategies (i.e., elaboration, organization, and critical thinking) are predicted by different sets of motivational regulation strategies after controlling for academic level and age. The results provide distance educators and instructional designers with practical suggestions on how to support undergraduate and graduate students’ motivational needs and further promote their use of cognitive learning strategies in online distance education programs in higher education.     

Trait procrastination,self-efficacy and achievement goals: the mediation role of boredom coping strategies

Limited research has examined the mediational role of coping strategy in students’ motivation and procrastination. In this study, we examined the relationships among self-efficacy, achievement goals, boredom coping strategies and procrastination with 506 Chinese college students. Data were collected via questionnaires. Structural equation modelling results showed that both self-efficacy and approach goals significantly predicted approach-oriented coping strategies, and avoidance goals significantly predicted avoidance-oriented coping strategies. Among the different types of boredom coping strategies, only behavioural avoidance coping strategy significantly predicted procrastination. Hence, the mediating link was only found between avoidance goals, behavioural avoidance coping strategy and procrastination. Implications of the mediating role of behavioural avoidance coping strategy in the goal-procrastination relationship were further discussed.     

The role of personality and motivation in predicting early college academic success in non-traditional students at a Hispanic-serving institution

Non-cognitive factors represent a chance to learn more about how to help students succeed in early college experiences. This study examined personality and motivation as predictors of first-quarter GPA in a sample of 315 non-traditional undergraduates at a Hispanic-serving institution. Our results provide support for the importance of high levels of conscientiousness, intrinsic motivation, and low levels of extrinsic motivation in first-quarter school success. Implications and possible interventions are discussed.     

Study procrastination, achievement, and academic motivation in web-based and blended distance learning

Growth in distance education is increasing the need to examine students' learning strategies in distance and blended learning environments. Students' cramming or spaced-review behaviors were measured and compared across delivery formats as well as examined related to course achievement and attitudes across a term. Although theory would predict that spaced study rather than last minute cramming would yield higher achievement, researchers report mixed findings in both areas. One hundred fifty-seven students in distance and blended course formats were blocked into 5 groups based on their cramming/spaced-review patterns a week prior to each of 3 posttests. Significant differences were observed in cramming/spaced-review behaviors between delivery formats and for achievement and attitudes.     

Within-year changes in children’s intrinsic and extrinsic motivational orientations: Contextual predictors and academic outcomes

The present study was designed to investigate the nature, timing, and correlates of motivational change among a large sample (N = 1051) of third- through eighth-grade students. Analyses of within-year changes in students’ motivational orientations revealed that both intrinsic and extrinsic motivations decreased from fall to spring, with declines in intrinsic motivation especially pronounced for the adolescents and declines in extrinsic motivation especially pronounced for the elementary students. These changes in motivation were explained, in part, by shifts in students’ perceptions of the school goal context. Findings suggested that typical age-related declines in intrinsic motivation may be minimized by a school-wide focus on mastery goals. Finally, the potential academic consequences of students’ motivational orientations were examined with a series of hierarchical multiple regressions. Intrinsic motivation and classroom achievement appeared to influence one another in a positive and reciprocal fashion. Poor classroom performance minimally predicted higher levels of extrinsic motivation, but extrinsic motivation was not a source of low classroom grades.     

Fostering self-efficacy and self-regulation in higher education: a matter of autonomy support or academic motivation?

ABSTRACT

By implementing student-centred learning environments, higher education institutions aim to foster student self-efficacy and self-regulation. Previous research that focuses on how students perceive these learning environments usually does not take the differential impact of students’ study motivation into account. However, the type of motivation might influence how students perceive their learning environment. To this end, this study investigates the relationship between students’ perceived autonomy support in student-centred learning environments and self-regulation and self-efficacy by taking study motivation into account. The results indicate that autonomy-supportive teacher behaviour enhances self-efficacy for students who are autonomously motivated. Amotivated students might need other than autonomy-supportive teacher behaviour to develop self-efficacy. Self-regulation seems to play a less distinct role. Overall, when examining the effects of autonomy-supportive teaching in higher education, the quality and quantity of students’ motivation has a role to play, an aspect which is important to consider in future research and practice.     

Psychological needs satisfaction,motivational regulations and physical activity intention among elementary school students

This study examined the relationship between psychological needs satisfaction, motivational regulations in physical education and physical activity intention among elementary school students. A total of 291 elementary school students in grades 3–6 voluntarily completed the three measures. This study indicated that satisfaction of three basic psychological needs powerfully enhanced self-determined motivation, moderately contributed to introjected regulation and negatively impacted external regulation and amotivation among elementary school students. Having fun, gaining specific benefits and making social connections with their friends all positively influenced elementary school students’ physical activity intentions outside of school.