Motivation and Learning Strategies for College Success : A Self-management Approach

(Greg DeLong) #1

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UNDERSTANDING MOTIVATION 81

Second, problems in knowing how to change can also stem from a
lack of self-control. Examples of self-control in the academic context
are self-instruction and attention focusing. Self-instruction or self-talk,
an important aspect of self-control, is an important strategy that can
help you guide your behavior. Research has shown that verbalizations,
such as how to apply a mathematical formula, can improve students’
learning (Schunk, 1982). We shall discuss the importance of self-
instruction or self-talk in chapter 5.
Attention focusing as another example of how academic self-control
helps to eliminate distractions and competing intentions, such as
recurring thoughts about past mistakes. Before you begin using a new
learning strategy, identify the specific behaviors you have to perform
and evaluate your performance as you proceed. For example, begin-
ning in chapter 4, you will find special “procedures” sections to help
you review the specific behaviors necessary for implementing a new
strategy. These strategies provide the specific behaviors needed to
change your behavior.
Finally, in the discussion of self-worth in this chapter, I mentioned
that some students are uncertain that they possess adequate ability to
succeed. As a result, they may actually handicap themselves by not
studying and using other self-defeating strategies to have an excuse
for failing that does not reflect poorly on their ability. Failing for a
reason such as not adequately preparing for an exam is less likely to
threaten self-worth than failing because of low perceived ability.
Garcia (1995) found that college students who used self-handicapping
strategies employed little practice and time-management strategies.
Self-handicapping provides a significant obstacle to the intention of
changing one’s academic behavior. Even though a student may believe
he or she can and wants to change, engaging in self-handicapping
behavior instead of using effective learning strategies can lead to less
successful academic outcomes. It is possible that through self-
handicapping, students who do not know how to change may actu-
ally start to believe that they cannot change. Here is a statement from
a student who is afraid to change:

The only reason that I think I have not changed is because
I don’t know how to change my ways. I feel that I have
been studying and preparing for my tests and quizzes the
same way for so long that I am afraid that it will be too
hard to change, and if I try to change I might do worse with
the new way rather than the old way.

In summary, there are many motivational factors that influence
your beliefs about changing academic behavior. The more you under-
stand the dynamics of change, the more you can learn to control your
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