Running Out of Hope: Negative Achievement Emotions Lead to Poorer Text Comprehension and Greater Underconfidence

• In Event: 43.070 - Self-Directed Learning and Metacognition

Abstract

When learning from expository text, it is important that learners not only comprehend the information provided but also accurately monitor and judge their comprehension, known as metacomprehension accuracy. However, learners’ metacomprehension is often inaccurate. We investigated to what extent the achievement emotions that students (N = 50) experienced during reading and testing influenced their text comprehension and metacomprehension accuracy regarding predictions and postdictions. The results indicated that greater anger and hopelessness during reading led to poorer comprehension. Moreover, greater anxiety, shame, and hopelessness during reading resulted in more underconfident predictions. Finally, greater anger, shame, and hopelessness during testing led to more underconfident postdictions, whereas greater hope during testing led to more accurate postdictions. Theoretical and practical implications are provided.

Authors

• Anja Prinz, University of Freiburg

• Janina Riedel, University of Freiburg

• Joerg Wittwer, University of Freiburg