Affective-motivational factors predicting freshmen's study time investment

Abstract

Students significantly differ in the amount of time devoted to studying. Female students have been shown to work harder (Brint & Cantwell, 2010), whereas students with higher scores on general cognitive ability and prior learning tests invest less study time (Plant, Ericsson, Hill, & Asberg, 2005). But what about variables with a strong affective-motivational component? The current study aimed to examine whether study time is related to self-efficacy, learning goal orientation (Dweck, 1999), and different aspects of action-orientedness (disengaging from a task rather than being preoccupied with failure and setbacks; easily initiating work on a task rather than hesitating to start working; being persistent until completion of the task rather than being easily distracted; Diefendorff, Hall, Lord, & Strean, 2000; Kuhl, 1994). 339 first-year students of the Faculty of Business Economics of Hasselt University (Belgium) participated. Students recorded the study time for a particular course at least weekly for the entire duration of the term. Affective-motivational factors regarding the course were measured by a student questionnaire. Results showed that easily taking initiative to study and being persistent are associated with more time investment, whereas more disengagement from the course and a higher course-related self-efficacy are related to less time investment (after controlling for gender and intelligence test scores). Learning goal orientation was unrelated to study time.