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Multitasking while studying - grit moderates the relationship of situational motivation and multitasking
Olga Bachmann1, Carola Grunschel2, Stefan Fries1
1Department of Psychology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany.
Frontiers in Psychology
|July 31, 2024
Summary
Students multitask less with autonomous motivation. Grit helps students avoid multitasking when motivation is controlled, especially during important exams.
Area of Science:
- Educational Psychology
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Multitasking during study is common among students.
- Understanding factors influencing study behavior is crucial for academic success.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the roles of situational study motivation and grit in student multitasking.
- To examine if grit moderates the relationship between motivation and multitasking.
Main Methods:
- Experience sampling study with 88 students preparing for an exam.
- Assessed autonomous and controlled motivation (Self-Determination Theory) and grit.
- Multilevel modeling used for hypothesis testing.
Main Results:
- Autonomous motivation was associated with less multitasking compared to controlled motivation.
- Grit did not significantly affect multitasking on its own.
- Grit moderated the motivation-multitasking link: grittier students multitasked less under controlled motivation.
Conclusions:
- Situational motivation significantly impacts study multitasking.
- Grit can buffer the negative effects of controlled motivation on focused studying.
- Interventions promoting autonomous motivation and leveraging grit may reduce student multitasking.
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