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The interplay between motivation, self-efficacy, and approaches to studying
Mercè Prat-Sala1, Paul Redford
1Department of Psychology, The University of Winchester, UK. merce.prat-sala@winchester.ac.uk
The British Journal of Educational Psychology
|December 22, 2009
Summary
Student self-efficacy significantly influences academic study strategies. High self-efficacy promotes deep learning approaches, while low self-efficacy correlates with surface learning, especially over time.
Area of Science:
- Educational Psychology
- Social Cognitive Theory
Background:
- Student study strategies are shaped by social-cognitive factors, impacting academic performance.
- Understanding these factors is crucial for enhancing student success.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationships between motivation (intrinsic/extrinsic), self-efficacy (reading/writing), and study approaches (deep/strategic/surface).
- To examine how study approaches change over time in relation to these factors.
Main Methods:
- 163 first-year psychology undergraduates at a UK university participated.
- Data collected via motivation, self-efficacy, and study approach questionnaires.
Main Results:
- Both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation correlated with study approaches.
- High self-efficacy linked to deep/strategic approaches; low self-efficacy linked to surface approaches.
- Low self-efficacy led to decreased deep and increased surface studying over time; high self-efficacy students showed no change.
Conclusions:
- Self-efficacy is vital for understanding student motivation and learning approaches.
- Interventions targeting self-efficacy may improve undergraduate study strategies, particularly in academic reading and essay writing.
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