Investigating Transactions Among Motives, Emotional Regulation Related to Testing, and Test Emotions

The authors examined the relationships among achievement motives, emotional regulation, and emotions. They collected data from 425 college undergraduates (110 men, 315 women) and used several scales, including the Achievement Motives Scales (K. Hagtvet & L. Zou, 2000), the Emotional Regulation During Testing Scale (P. A. Schutz, C. DiStefano, J. Benson, & H. A. Davis, 2004), and the Regensburg Academic Emotions Questionnaire (R. Pekrun, T. Goetz, R. P. Perry, K. Kramer, & M. Hochstadt, 2004). Findings suggest that approach—avoidance motives were related to different academic emotions (i.e., pleasant and unpleasant) in the expected directions. Approach—avoidance variables, cognitive-appraisal processes, and during-testing processes explained significant amounts of variance in both test hope and test pride, and several categories of students emerged, including those of high approach—low avoidance, low approach—high avoidance, moderate approach—high avoidance, high approach—moderate avoidance, and moderate approach—low avoidance. The authors also discuss future research and implications.