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Teacher judgment, student motivation, and the mediating effect of attributions

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Abstract

Based on Weiner’s attributional theory of intrapersonal motivation, the mediating effect of attributions between teacher judgment and student motivation was examined. In two studies, 144 German and 272 Chinese fourth-grade elementary school students were tested on their mathematical achievement, causal ascriptions for success and failure, expectancy for success, self-concept, and test anxiety. Mathematics teachers were asked to estimate students’ performances on the applied mathematics test. Discrepancies between teacher judgment and student performance led to groups of underestimated and overestimated students. One year later, Chinese students were retested on their mathematical achievement. Results show that the attributional pattern of underestimated students was maladaptive compared with overestimated students. Attributions mediated the effect of teacher judgment on students’ expectancy for success, self-concept, test anxiety, and, in case of the Chinese sample, mathematics achievement of the next year. The results indicate the important role of student attributions as a function of teacher judgment and imply attribution retraining as a possible intervention.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychology of Excellence in Business and Education, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Martiusstr. 4, Room 412, 80802, Munich, Germany

    Ji Zhou

  2. Department of Educational Psychology, University of Halle, Franckeplatz 1, Haus 5, 06099, Halle (Saale), Germany

    Detlef Urhahne

Authors
  1. Ji Zhou
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  2. Detlef Urhahne
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Correspondence to Ji Zhou.

Additional information

Ms. Ji Zhou. Psychology of Excellence in Business and Education, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Martiusstr. 4, Room 412, 80802 Munich, Germany. E-mail: lukareborn@gmail.com; Web site: http://www.psy.lmu.de/pe-en/personen/assistant/ji/index.html

Current themes of research:

Teachers’ diagnostic competencies. Learning motivation research. Natural science museum learning.

Prof. Dr. Detlef Urhahne. Department of Educational Psychology, University of Halle, Franckeplatz 1, Haus 5, 06099 Halle (Saale), Germany E-mail: detlef.urhahne@paedagogik.uni-halle.de; Web site: http://www.philfak3.uni-halle.de/paedagogik/psychoerz/1061653_2521865

Current themes of research:

Teachers’ diagnostic competencies. Learning motivation research. Research in science education. Computer-based collaborative inquiry learning.

Most relevant publications:

Urhahne, D., Zhou, J., Stobbe, M., Chao, S.-H., Zhu, M. & Shi, J. (2010). Motivationale und affektive Merkmale unterschätzter Schüler. Ein Beitrag zur diagnostischen Kompetenz von Lehrkräften. Zeitschrift für Pädagogische Psychologie, 24, 275–288.

Urhahne, D., Chao, S.-H., Florineth, M. L., Luttenberger, S., & Paechter, M. (2011). Academic self-concept, learning motivation, and test anxiety of the underestimated student. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 81, 161–177.

Stavrova, O., & Urhahne, D. (2010). Modification of a school programme in the Deutsches Museum to enhance students’ attitudes and understanding. International Journal of Science Education, 32, 2291–2310.

Urhahne, D., Schanze, S., Bell, T., Mansfield, A., & Holmes, J. (2010). Role of the teacher in computer-supported collaborative inquiry learning. International Journal of Science Education, 32, 221–243.

Bell, T., Urhahne, D., Schanze, S., & Ploetzner, R. (2010). Collaborative inquiry learning: Models, tools, and challenges. International Journal of Science Education, 32, 349–377.

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Zhou, J., Urhahne, D. Teacher judgment, student motivation, and the mediating effect of attributions. Eur J Psychol Educ 28, 275–295 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-012-0114-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-012-0114-9

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