Students’ Personality and State Academic Self-Concept: Predicting Differences in Mean Level and Within-Person Variability in Everyday School Life

in Journal of Educational Psychology (2022), 114(6), 13941411

A positive academic self-concept (ASC) relates to many desirable educational outcomes. Research on which student characteristics relate to the formation of ASC is therefore crucial. To examine the ... [more ▼]

A positive academic self-concept (ASC) relates to many desirable educational outcomes. Research on which student characteristics relate to the formation of ASC is therefore crucial. To examine the importance of personality for ASC, we investigated the relation between Big Five traits and mean level as well as within-person variability in state general-school ASC for the first time using intensive longitudinal data. The sample comprised N = 291 German ninth and 10th graders who completed a 3-week e-diary after filling in a 60-item Big Five questionnaire assessing extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, negative emotionality, and open-mindedness as well as their respective subfacets (15 subfacets overall). To assess state ASC, students completed three items after each lesson in four different subjects (resulting in Mlessons = 21.32). We ran six mixed-effects location scale models: one with all broad Big Five domains and five (one for each Big Five domain) with the subfacets as predictors of state ASC. Higher scores in the domains and in at least one subfacet of open-mindedness, conscientiousness, and extraversion but lower scores in negative emotionality were related to higher mean levels of state ASC. Higher scores in depression (subfacet of negative emotionality) were related to greater within-person variability in state ASC. These findings suggest that Big Five traits are predictors of mean level and within-person variability in students’ state ASC, thus contributing to a more complete map of the formation of students’ ASC and the role of personality therein. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed. [less ▲]

Negative life events, self-efficacy, and social support: Risk and protective factors for school dropout intentions and dropout

in Journal of Educational Psychology (2020), 112(5), 973-986

Prior studies have noted several risk and protective factors for school dropout; however, only a few have examined longer-term vulnerabilities alongside temporary risk and protective factors. Consequently ... [more ▼]

Prior studies have noted several risk and protective factors for school dropout; however, only a few have examined longer-term vulnerabilities alongside temporary risk and protective factors. Consequently, we focused on the role that both stable and time-varying psychosocial risk and protective factors play in dropout intentions and actual dropout, using a 4-year longitudinal design. We investigated to what extent dropout intentions and dropout can be predicted by an interplay between negative life events, general self-efficacy, and perceived social support. We distinguished between time-averaged levels of self-efficacy and social support, and within-person change in self-efficacy and social support over time. This enabled us to establish whether dropout intentions and dropout were sensitive to fluctuations in perceived self-efficacy and social support over time when controlling for person-specific levels of these psychosocial resources. Calculating multilevel models with data from a prospective cohort study (N = 4,956, 43% male), we found that negative life events were significantly associated with an increase in dropout intentions and the likelihood of school dropout. Furthermore, time-averaged levels of self-efficacy and social support, and a within-person (situational) increase in these characteristics relative to their time-averaged levels, were related to lower levels of dropout intentions but did not prevent dropout. The positive relationship between negative life events and dropout intentions was attenuated for individuals who perceived higher levels of self-efficacy than usual. Our findings suggest future research should further investigate time-averaged and situational psychosocial drivers of school dropout in combination. [less ▲]

How working memory capacity and shifting matter for learning. A replication study using worked examples

in Journal of Educational Psychology (2020), 112

Negative life events, self-efficacy, and social support: Risk and protective factors for school dropout intentions and dropout

in Journal of Educational Psychology (2019)

Prior studies have noted several risk and protective factors for school dropout; however, only a few have examined longer-term vulnerabilities alongside temporary risk and protective factors. Consequently ... [more ▼]

Prior studies have noted several risk and protective factors for school dropout; however, only a few have examined longer-term vulnerabilities alongside temporary risk and protective factors. Consequently, we focused on the role that both stable and time-varying psychosocial risk and protective factors play in dropout intentions and actual dropout, using a 4-year longitudinal design. We investigated to what extent dropout intentions and dropout can be predicted by an interplay between negative life events, general self-efficacy, and perceived social support. We distinguished between time-averaged levels of self-efficacy and social support, and within-person change in self-efficacy and social support over time. This enabled us to establish whether dropout intentions and dropout were sensitive to fluctuations in perceived self-efficacy and social support over time when controlling for person-specific levels of these psychosocial resources. Calculating multilevel models with data from a prospective cohort study (N = 4,956, 43 male), we found that negative life events were significantly associated with an increase in dropout intentions and the likelihood of school dropout. Furthermore, time-averaged levels of self-efficacy and social support, and a within-person (situational) increase in these characteristics relative to their time-averaged levels, were related to lower levels of dropout intentions but did not prevent dropout. The positive relationship between negative life events and dropout intentions was attenuated for individuals who perceived higher levels of self-efficacy than usual. Our findings suggest future research should further investigate time-averaged and situational psychosocial drivers of school dropout in combination. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved) [less ▲]

Torn Between Study and Leisure: How Motivational Conflicts Relate to Students' Academic and Social Adaptation

in Journal of Educational Psychology (2014), 106(1), 242-257

Research on motivational conflicts indicates that students' difficulties during studying may result from tempting alternatives in the leisure domain. In the present set of studies, we addressed the ... [more ▼]

Research on motivational conflicts indicates that students' difficulties during studying may result from tempting alternatives in the leisure domain. In the present set of studies, we addressed the question of whether academic motivation inversely has negative spillover effects on students' leisure-related functioning, too. In the first 2 studies (N = 169 and N = 206), the self-regulatory impairment students reported after the decision for studying or socializing in a predefined study-leisure conflict was related to their general academic and social adaptation. Results provide 1st evidence for domain-specific drawbacks in students' functioning, depending on which activity is interfered in situations of motivational conflict. In a 3rd study (N = 358), we replicated these findings based on idiographic conflicts. Furthermore, motivational interference is introduced as a crucial process that may underlie such adverse effects. It is demonstrated that after the decision for a focal action, the motivational strength of foregone alternatives continues to influence students' self-regulation during both study and leisure activities. Findings are discussed with regard to the connection between study and leisure strivings, motivational conflicts, and academic motivation. [less ▲]

Computer-based assessment of cross-curricular skills and processes. Special section.

in Journal of Educational Psychology (2014)

Differential relations between facets of complex problem solving and students’ immigration background

in Journal of Educational Psychology (2014), Advance online publication

Whereas the assessment of complex problem solving (CPS) has received increasing attention in the context of international large-scale assessments, its fairness in regard to students’ cultural background ... [more ▼]

Whereas the assessment of complex problem solving (CPS) has received increasing attention in the context of international large-scale assessments, its fairness in regard to students’ cultural background has gone largely unexplored. On the basis of a student sample of ninth-graders (N = 299), including a representative number of immigrant students (N = 127), the present study evaluated (1) whether CPS can be assessed fairly among students with or without immigration background and (2) whether achievement differences between these groups exist. Results showed that fair assessment of CPS is possible using the Genetics Lab, a computer-based microworld that incorporates game-like characteristics and multilingual-friendly features. Immigrant students were generally outperformed by their non-immigrant peers, but performance differences can largely be explained by differential enrollment in lower academic tracks. Interestingly, CPS scales were less affected by students’ educational background than a traditional paper-pencil-based reasoning scale. Moreover, a fine-grained analysis of different facets of CPS showed that irrespective of the academic track, immigrant students demonstrated a more efficient task exploration behavior than their native peers (d = .26). In sum, this might point to the potential of computer-based assessment of CPS to identify otherwise hidden cognitive potential in immigrant students. [less ▲]

Complex Problem Solving in educational settings – something beyond g: Concept, assessment, measurement invariance, and construct validity

in Journal of Educational Psychology (2013), 105

Innovative assessments of cross-curricular competencies such as complex problem solving (CPS) have currently received considerable attention in large-scale educational studies. This study investigated the ... [more ▼]

Innovative assessments of cross-curricular competencies such as complex problem solving (CPS) have currently received considerable attention in large-scale educational studies. This study investigated the nature of CPS by applying a state-of-the-art approach to assess CPS in high school. We analyzed whether two processes derived from cognitive psychology, knowledge acquisition and knowledge application, could be measured equally well across grades and how these processes differed between grades. Further, relations between CPS, general mental ability (g), academic achievement, and parental education were explored. Hungarian high school students in Grades 5 to 11 (N 855) completed MicroDYN, which is a computer-based CPS test, and the Culture Fair Test 20-R as a measure of g. Results based on structural equation models showed that empirical modeling of CPS was in line with theories from cognitive psychology such that the two dimensions identified above were found in all grades, and that there was some development of CPS in school, although the Grade 9 students deviated from the general pattern of development. Finally, path analysis showed that CPS was a relevant predictor of academic achievement over and above g. Overall, results of the current study provide support for an understanding of CPS as a cross-curricular skill that is accessible through computer-based assessment and that yields substantial relations to school performance. Thus, the increasing attention CPS has currently received on an international level seems warranted given its high relevance for educational psychologists. [less ▲]

The structure of academic self-concepts revisited: The nested Marsh/Shavelson model

in Journal of Educational Psychology (2010), 102(4), 964-981