Original scientific paper

Personality, motives and learning environment as predictors of self-determined learning motivation

Florian H. Müller
Marko Palekčić
Matthias Beck
Sebastian Wanninger

Abstract

This study investigates how well can personality, motives for studying and the perceived learning environment predict self-determined learning motivation in higher education. Previous research has predominantly focused on the interrelation between learning environment and self-determined motivation or on the outcomes of self-determined learning motivation. The question whether relatively stable personality dispositions preform self-determined learning motivation has been largely neglected. The theoretical basis of this study is the differential psychology model, the “Big Five” model (Goldberg, 1999; McCrae et al., 2000), as well as Deci and Ryan’s (2002a) self-determination theory. The data of 730 students were analyzed by the means of regression analyses, with personality traits (Big Five), study motives and the perception of the teaching-learning environment as independent variables and self-determined learning motivation as a dependent variable. The results of hierarchical regression analyses show that the personality dimensions of conscientiousness, neuroticism and openness predict a large part of the variance of learning motivation and that additional predictors are motives to study and the perception of the learning environments.

Keywords

learning motivation; higher education; learning environment; personality; motives to study; self-determination; Big Five

Hrčak ID:

17410

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/17410

Publication date:

4.6.2007.

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