What Students Think They Feel Differs from What They Really Feel - Academic Self-Concept Moderates the Discrepancy between Students\u27 Trait and State Emotional Self-Reports

This study investigated whether there is a discrepancy pertaining to trait and state academic emotions and whether self-concept of ability moderates this discrepancy. A total of 225 secondary school students from two different countries enrolled in grades 8 and 11 (German sample; n = 94) and grade 9 (Swiss sample; n = 131) participated. Students\u27 trait academic emotions of enjoyment, pride, anger, and anxiety in mathematics were assessed with a self-report questionnaire, whereas to assess their state academic emotions experience-sampling method was employed. The results revealed that students\u27 scores on the trait assessment of emotions were generally higher than their scores on the state assessment. Further, as expected, students academic self-concept in the domain of mathematics was shown to partly explain the discrepancy between scores on trait and state emotions. Our results indicate that there is a belief-driven discrepancy between what students think they feel (trait assessment) and what they really feel (state assessment). Implications with regard to the assessment of self-reported emotions in future studies and practical implications for the school context are discussed

How much trait variance is captured by measures of academic state emotions? A latent state-trait analysis

Abstract. Although the popularity of research on academic emotions is on the rise, little is known about the extent to which these emotional experiences are due to stable (trait) versus situational (state) influences. In the present paper, we applied the latent state-trait approach (LST) to multiple state assessments of five frequently experienced discrete academic emotions (enjoyment, pride, anger, anxiety, boredom) to disentangle their trait versus state variance components. We had two main aims: (1) to identify the differential contributions of the person-specific (trait) and situation-specific (state) variance components of discrete academic emotions, and (2) to examine the relations between different discrete academic emotions with regard to their latent trait and latent state residual components. Eight hundred thirty-seven German students participated in this diary study that lasted 2–3 weeks. During this time, students responded to short (two items per emotion) questionnaires asking about their lesson-specific state emotions in mathematics. The results revealed that for each academic emotion the trait variance and state residual components were of about equal size. Further, while differently valenced (positive vs. negative) latent trait components of students’ emotions were mostly uncorrelated (with the exception of boredom), differently valenced latent state residual components of students’ emotions were negatively correlated. We discuss our findings in relation to the structure of current affect and highlight their implications for classroom practices. </jats:p

Do Girls Really Experience More Anxiety in Mathematics?

Two studies were conducted to examine gender differences in trait (habitual) versus state (momentary) mathematics anxiety in a sample of students (Study 1: N = 584; Study 2: N = 111). For trait math anxiety, the findings of both studies replicated previous research showing that female students report higher levels of anxiety than do male students. However, no gender differences were observed for state anxiety, as assessed using experience-sampling methods while students took a math test (Study 1) and attended math classes (Study 2). The discrepant findings for trait versus state math anxiety were partly accounted for by students' beliefs about their competence in mathematics, with female students reporting lower perceived competence than male students despite having the same average grades in math. Implications for educational practices and the assessment of anxiety are discussed

Trait- und State-Emotionen im Lern- und Leistungskontext : Zwei Seiten einer Medaille?

Emotions in the school setting are gaining increasing attention among educational researchers but also among practitioners and policy makers. Emotions in achievement contexts, referred to as academic emotions, are of high importance with regard to students’ self-regulated learning, academic achievement, life-long learning, and career choices but are also valuable outcomes themselves. Yet, what do we mean when we are talking about emotions? An important distinction needs to be made, namely the one between trait and state emotions. Trait emotions are seen as habitual tendencies whereas state emotions are emotions experienced in a specific situation. When studying academic emotions, researchers usually rely on the assessment of emotions via self-reports from study participants, and a large proportion of previous studies have investigated emotions through the use of generalized self-reports (“How much enjoyment do you experience in general?”; i.e., trait emotions). However, momentary assessments examining actual emotions in achievement and learning situations (“How much enjoyment are you experiencing right now?”; i.e., state emotions) are becoming more popular as they are believed to be more ecological valid. It is assumed that state emotions are directly assessed and thus influenced by situational cues, whereas in trait assessments, individuals’ beliefs and semantic knowledge affect outcomes of the assessment (accessibility model of emotional self-report; Robinson & Clore, 2002). Thus, there may be a discrepancy between trait and state emotions. Research that explicitly compares trait and state emotions in the academic context is lacking, however, this appears to be a promising enterprise for determining whether it is justifiable to draw conclusions about trait emotions from state emotions and vice versa. In order to close this gap in educational research on emotions, the present dissertation comprises three empirical studies that aimed at comparing trait and state emotions and their assessments with regard to structural (Study 1) as well as mean-level differences (Study 2 and Study 3).The first study explored structural relations between cognitive appraisal antecedents and academic emotions as stated in Pekrun’s control-value theory (2006). The appraisals of control and value, and the interaction of the two as predictors of emotions, were studied while using multiple trait and state assessments in one sample of 120 students in grades 8 and 11. Participants were asked about their control and value appraisals, and the discrete emotions of pride, anxiety, and boredom, in four subject domains. The appraisal antecedents as well as the emotions were assessed trait-based and state-based. In line with the hypotheses, results showed that control positively predicted pride and negatively predicted anxiety and boredom. Value positively predicted pride and anxiety and negatively predicted boredom. Furthermore, the interaction between control and value predicted emotions over and above the single main effects. An intraindividual approach was utilized, meaning data were analyzed within persons (multiple trait and state measurement points per person) rather than between persons. The analyses revealed that appraisal-emotion relationships were quite similar in trait and state data.In the second study, trait and state assessments of academic emotions were compared with regard to mean-level differences to investigate whether there was a discrepancy between the two types of academic emotions and whether self-concept of ability moderated this discrepancy. A total of 225 secondary school students from two different countries enrolled in grades 8 and 11 (German sample; n = 94) and grade 9 (Swiss sample; n = 131) participated. Students’ trait academic emotions of enjoyment, pride, anger, and anxiety in mathematics were assessed with a self-report questionnaire. Furthermore, state academic emotions were assessed through the use of the experience-sampling method while participants were in class. The results revealed that students’ scores on the trait assessment of emotions were generally higher than their scores on the state assessment. Further, as expected, students’ academic self-concept in the domain of mathematics was shown to partly explain the discrepancy between scores on trait and state emotions. Results indicated that there was a belief-driven discrepancy between what students think they feel (trait emotion) and what they actually feel (state emotion). Thus, the two methods are quite different and trait emotions generally being rated higher than state emotions, which has important implications for future studies that use self-reports to assess academic emotions.Study 3 sought to examine gender differences in trait (habitual) versus state (momentary) mathematics anxiety in two study samples. In line with the accessibility model of emotional self-report (Robinson & Clore, 2002), it was assumed that the frequently reported difference in trait mathematics anxiety between boys and girls would not emerge in state emotions. In the first study, 584 students were recruited from grades 5 to 10, and in the second study, 111 high school students from grades 8 and 11 participated. For trait math anxiety, the findings from both studies replicated previous research showing female students to report higher levels of anxiety than male students. However, no gender differences were observed for state anxiety as assessed by experience-sampling during a math test (first study) and when attending math classes (second study). The discrepant findings for trait versus state math anxiety were partly accounted for by students’ competence beliefs in mathematics, with female students showing lower perceived competence than male students despite having the same average math grades.The three studies included in the present dissertation found that, although the structural relations between appraisal antecedents and emotions were found to be similar in trait and state data (Study 1), there were clear discrepancies between trait and state emotions with regard to mean-levels (Study 2 and Study 3). This discrepancy can be explained by students’ gender (Study 3) but also by subjective control beliefs that students hold (Study 2 and Study 3). The results of the present studies will hopefully encourage future researchers of academic emotions to clearly operationalize and differentiate between emotions as traits or states as both seem to be of value depending on the respective research question. For example, trait emotions have a stronger relation to future behavior and choices (Wirtz, Kruger, Napa Scollon, & Diener, 2003) but are unable to capture situational fluctuations of emotions. Findings from the present dissertation also strengthen ongoing endeavors to positively influence students’ subjective control conceptualized from either a trait (e.g., students’ academic self-concept) or state (e.g., subjective situational control) perspective. Implications for future research and practice are discussed, especially with regard to the importance of subjective beliefs and emotions in the achievement context

Befragung zur MINT-Studienfach- und -Berufswahl von Abiturientinnen und Abiturienten in Baden-Württemberg

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Examining the accuracy of students’ self-reported academic grades from a correlational and a discrepancy perspective : evidence from a longitudinal study

The present longitudinal study examined the reliability of self-reported academic grades across three phases in four subject domains for a sample of 916 high-school students. Self-reported grades were found to be highly positively correlated with actual grades in all academic subjects and across grades 9 to 11 underscoring the reliability of self-reported grades as an achievement indicator. Reliability of self-reported grades was found to differ across subject areas (e.g., mathematics self-reports more reliable than language studies), with a slight yet consistent tendency to over-report achievement levels also observed across grade levels and academic subjects. Overall, the absolute value of over- and underreporting was low and these patterns were not found to differ between mathematics and verbal subjects. In sum, study findings demonstrate the consistent predictive utility of students’ self-reported achievement across grade levels and subject areas with the observed tendency to over-report academic grades and slight differences between domains nonetheless warranting consideration in future education research

Unterschiedlich interessiert : Heterogenität und Variabilität von Schülerinteressen im Fach Mathematik

Interesse bei Schüler/-innen zu wecken gilt neben dem Erwerb von Kompetenzen als ein zentrales Ziel von Unterricht und Schule. In der Praxis zeigt sich, dass nicht nur eine Klasse sehr heterogen sein kann in den Interessen ihrer Schüler/-innen, sondern dass auch das Interesse einer/-s Schülers/-in von Stunde zu Stunde variieren kann. Auf Basis einer Tagebuchstudie mit 32 Gymnasialklassen, in der Interesse im Fach Mathematik erfasst wurde, präsentieren wir in unserem Beitrag Befunde zum Ausmaß der Heterogenität und Variabilität von Schülerinteresse. Zudem zeigen wir Ergebnisse, welche Faktoren der Unterrichtsgestaltung das Wecken von Interesse in einer Stunde begünstigen. Der Beitrag schließt mit einem Kurzinterview mit Oberstudienrat Siegmar von Detten, der die Befunde vor einem praktischen Hintergrund als Lehrer diskutiert und einschätzt.publishe

Do Girls Really Experience More Anxiety in Mathematics?

Two studies were conducted to examine gender differences in trait (habitual) versus state (momentary) mathematics anxiety in a sample of students (Study 1: N = 584; Study 2: N = 111). For trait math anxiety, the findings of both studies replicated previous research showing that female students report higher levels of anxiety than do male students. However, no gender differences were observed for state anxiety, as assessed using experience-sampling methods while students took a math test (Study 1) and attended math classes (Study 2). The discrepant findings for trait versus state math anxiety were partly accounted for by students' beliefs about their competence in mathematics, with female students reporting lower perceived competence than male students despite having the same average grades in math. Implications for educational practices and the assessment of anxiety are discussed

Well-Being as a Precursor and Consequence of Micro-Processes in a Group Psychotherapy With Forensic Patients

Psychotherapy is an important approach for the treatment of psychiatric disorders. Apart from treating disorders as such, psychotherapy aims at increasing patients' well-being. The Therapeutic Cycles Model (TCM) is a process-oriented theoretical model that makes predictions about the psychotherapeutic progress based on verbatim content. The model helps to identify therapeutic factors on a language level. The present study aims at analyzing transcripts of group therapy sessions with forensic psychiatric patients using the rationale of the TCM. Furthermore, the relationship between linguistic features of psychotherapy sessions and patients' well-being before and after therapy are investigated. In order to identify therapeutic factors, a group psychotherapy with nine drug addicted forensic psychiatric patients was videotaped and transcripts of N = 16 sessions were analyzed. Process-oriented measures were rated by the patients, their therapists, and an external observer. Patients' self-reported well-being before therapy was negatively related to Connecting (indicating emotional insight), and the frequency of therapeutic cycles, which are both thought of as key moments in therapy. Well-being of forensic patients is not necessarily a helpful precursor for insightful and productive events in therapy to occur. The findings help to better understand psychotherapeutic micro-processes throughout forensic therapies, and their relationship with patients' well-being. Implications for research and the forensic practice are discussed.publishe

Descriptive statistics.

<p>Descriptive statistics.</p