engleski

Personality traits as predictors of consistency and situational variability in learning motivation

Previous research has extensively documented the existence of correlations between personality traits (as defined in the Big Five taxonomies) and various forms of learning motivation – especially achievement goal orientations (e.g. Judge & Ilies, 2002, Zweig & Webster, 2004). However, socio-cognitive models of self-regulated learning (e.g. Pintrich, 2003) emphasize situational specificity of the learning process, including the reasons for engaging in that process, i.e. learning motivation. Previous research findings provide evidence for both stability and change in learning motivation across different tasks (e.g. Muis & Edwards, 2009) and time (e.g. Mujagić, 2012). Since personality traits by definition account for consistent behavioral, emotional and cognitive patterns, the aim of this study was an to exploreation of the role of personality traits in prediction of consistency of learning motivation across two measurement occasions. At the same time, some authors suggest that personality traits may account for changes in motivation as well (e.g. McCrae & Lockenhoff, 2010 ; Sansone, Thoman, & Smith, 2010). Hence, it seemed viable to explore the role of personality traits in prediction of changes learning motivation as well. Data on subject- specific levels of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation were collected on two occasions from 297 participants. Data on personality traits (consciousness, extraversion, neuroticism, agreeableness and intellect) were collected only once. Hypotheses about the effects of personality traits on consistency and situational specificity of learning motivation were formulated under the latent state-trait theoretical framework (Steyer, Ferring, & Schmitt, 1992) and tested by means of structural equation modeling procedures. Personality traits were not significant predictor of latent variables representing intraindividual changes in motivation. However, intellect, neuroticism, and agreeableness had significant effects on dispositional component of intrinsic motivation. These three traits explained 15% variance of stable interindividual differences in intrinsic motivation. Intellect and neuroticism explained 6% variance of dispositional component of extrinsic motivation.

consistency ; situational variability ; learning motivation ; personality

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