How learning and emotional goals shape strategic regulation of learning

Effortful study strategies, such as retrieval practice, improve long-term retention of studied materials but may elicit negative emotions. We examined how learning and emotional goals shape strategy regulation across three laboratory experiments and one classroom-based study conducted between June 2024 and March 2025. Lab-based participants (Experiments 1-3) were 18-30 years old, 59% female, 38% male, and ethnically diverse (50% White, 20% Black, and <10% Hispanic). After experiencing retrieval and study practices while learning Swahili-English word pairs, participants were assigned either a learning or an emotional goal. Results consistently showed that participants who prioritized safeguarding emotional experiences allocated less time to retrieval practice than those who prioritized learning, regardless of time constraints, experimenter-provided information about retrieval practice, or whether they regulated study for a hypothetical learner or for themselves. In Experiment 4, undergraduate participants (19-22 years old, 69% female, and 31% male) reported their goals and selected a study strategy to review course materials throughout the semester. Preliminary results showed that few participants selected retrieval practice, and strategy choices were predicted by emotional goals and perceived strategy effectiveness. These findings highlight how goal priorities shape self-regulated learning and underscore the need to consider both learning and emotional goals when promoting effortful strategies. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).