Situation-Specific Motivation Regulation: How Specifically Do Students Regulate Their Motivation for Different Situations?

The study examined how students, in response to specific situations, regulate their motivation for a deficient learning motivation (low expectation. for success-or poor subjective task value during three phases of the learning process). Fifty-four students provided self-reports on-their effectiveness to motivate themselves at these 2 x 3 situations and described the strategies they employed to modify their motivation in each case. Results indicated that the reported effectiveness depended on the situation of the motivational deficit and that students chose distinct strategies in distinct situations. However, only a low consensus was observed regarding the suitability of regulation strategies for different situations. Altogether, the results support the opinion, that learners perceive different reasons for motivational deficits and adjust their regulatory efforts specifically.