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On the relation between motivation and retention in educational contexts: The role of intentional and unintentional mind wandering.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Seli, P; Wammes, JD; Risko, EF; Smilek, D
Published in: Psychonomic bulletin & review
August 2016

Highly motivated students often exhibit better academic performance than less motivated students. However, to date, the specific cognitive mechanisms through which motivation increases academic achievement are not well understood. Here we explored the possibility that mind wandering mediates the relation between motivation and academic performance, and additionally, we examined possible mediation by both intentional and unintentional forms of mind wandering. We found that participants reporting higher motivation to learn in a lecture-based setting tended to engage in less mind wandering, and that this decrease in mind wandering was in turn associated with greater retention of the lecture material. Critically, we also found that the influence of motivation on retention was mediated by both intentional and unintentional types of mind wandering. Not only do the present results advance our theoretical understanding of the mechanisms underlying the relation between motivation and academic achievement, they also provide insights into possible methods of intervention that may be useful in improving student retention in educational settings.

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Published In

Psychonomic bulletin & review

DOI

EISSN

1531-5320

ISSN

1069-9384

Publication Date

August 2016

Volume

23

Issue

4

Start / End Page

1280 / 1287

Related Subject Headings

  • Young Adult
  • Video Recording
  • Students
  • Retention, Psychology
  • Motivation
  • Male
  • Learning
  • Intention
  • Humans
  • Female
 

Citation

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Seli, P., Wammes, J. D., Risko, E. F., & Smilek, D. (2016). On the relation between motivation and retention in educational contexts: The role of intentional and unintentional mind wandering. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 23(4), 1280–1287. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13423-015-0979-0
Seli, Paul, Jeffrey D. Wammes, Evan F. Risko, and Daniel Smilek. “On the relation between motivation and retention in educational contexts: The role of intentional and unintentional mind wandering.Psychonomic Bulletin & Review 23, no. 4 (August 2016): 1280–87. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13423-015-0979-0.
Seli P, Wammes JD, Risko EF, Smilek D. On the relation between motivation and retention in educational contexts: The role of intentional and unintentional mind wandering. Psychonomic bulletin & review. 2016 Aug;23(4):1280–7.
Seli, Paul, et al. “On the relation between motivation and retention in educational contexts: The role of intentional and unintentional mind wandering.Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, vol. 23, no. 4, Aug. 2016, pp. 1280–87. Epmc, doi:10.3758/s13423-015-0979-0.
Seli P, Wammes JD, Risko EF, Smilek D. On the relation between motivation and retention in educational contexts: The role of intentional and unintentional mind wandering. Psychonomic bulletin & review. 2016 Aug;23(4):1280–1287.
Journal cover image

Published In

Psychonomic bulletin & review

DOI

EISSN

1531-5320

ISSN

1069-9384

Publication Date

August 2016

Volume

23

Issue

4

Start / End Page

1280 / 1287

Related Subject Headings

  • Young Adult
  • Video Recording
  • Students
  • Retention, Psychology
  • Motivation
  • Male
  • Learning
  • Intention
  • Humans
  • Female