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. 2019 Feb 5:10:81.
doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00081. eCollection 2019.

The Role of Motivational Regulation in Exam Preparation: Results From a Standardized Diary Study

Nicole Eckerlein  1 , Anne Roth  2 , Tobias Engelschalk  1 , Gabriele Steuer  1 , Bernhard Schmitz  2 , Markus Dresel  1
Affiliations

The Role of Motivational Regulation in Exam Preparation: Results From a Standardized Diary Study

Nicole Eckerlein et al. Front Psychol. .

Abstract

Previous studies have shown that the use of motivational regulation strategies has the potential to sustain invested effort and persistence in the learning process. Combining different methods (questionnaires and standardized diaries), the present study aimed to determine the role of motivational regulation in an exam preparation period. Motivational regulation is differentiated in a quantitative (extent of strategy use) and a qualitative (planning, implementing, monitoring, and correcting strategy use) aspect. One hundred and fifteen university students reported the quantity and quality of their motivational regulation strategy use in a pretest and kept a standardized learning diary focused on motivational difficulties and invested effort over a 14-day period just before an exam in their studies. Exam performance was assessed afterward. Results revealed positive effects of both aspects of motivational regulation on invested effort in exam preparation and exam performance. Moreover, a high quality of motivational regulation was associated with reduced negative effects of motivational difficulties on invested effort during studying-implying that motivational regulation can buffer against specific motivational problems occurring in the learning process.

Keywords: higher education; motivational regulation; quality of strategy use; self-regulated learning; standardized learning diary.

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Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Moderating effect of regulation quality on the connection between motivational difficulties and invested effort (depicted are predicted values).
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