How Do Perceptions of the Present and Future Self Relate to Undergraduate Students' Motivational Beliefs? (Poster 13)

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Eleven
  In Poster Session: Motivation, Antecedents, and Outcomes

Abstract

Thinking about the future can motivate present academic engagement, but only if that future includes continued education and learning. Drawing from Oyserman’s identity-based motivation theory, this study explored how thinking about the future in different ways (as near and connected, far and disconnected, or neutral), and thinking about the relevance of learning and continued education to their future, might influence undergraduates’ motivational beliefs about their current classes (N = 599). We found that thinking broadly about the future did not impact participants’ motivational beliefs regardless of closeness or connection. However, participants who thought more specifically about how important learning and education were to their future were more academically motivated: they had higher value and a stronger learning-oriented-approach to their current classes.

Authors

• Stephany Duany Rea, University of Texas at Austin
  Presenting Author

• Veronica X. Yan, University of Texas at Austin
  Non-Presenting Author