Self-esteem and motivation for learning in academic achievement: the mediating role of reasoning and verbal fluidity

Moyano, Nieves (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Quílez-Robres, Alberto (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Cortés Pascual, Alejandra (Universidad de Zaragoza)

Resumen: The goal of the present study was to analyze the joint role that non-cognitive (motivation and self-esteem) and cognitive (verbal fluency and reasoning) factors play on academic achievement, both as a global score and in relation to specific subjects, such as language and literature and mathematics. We also analyzed the mediating role of cognitive factors. We recruited a sample of 133 primary education students (aged 6–9 years old) (47.6% girls, 52.6% boys), to whom various measures of the above-indicated variables were administered. Several predictive models were tested through a mediational regression analysis. The results indicated the relevance of intrinsic motivation together with self-esteem as predictors of academic achievement mediated by the cognitive abilities verbal fluency and reasoning. These relationships differed depending on the specific subject. We discuss the educational implications of these findings and emphasize, on the one hand, that academic achievement depends on both cognitive and non-cognitive factors and, on the other hand, the malleability of cognitive factors, as they seem to improve based on motivation and self-esteem.

Idioma: Inglés

DOI: 10.3390/su12145768

Año: 2020

Publicado en: Sustainability (Switzerland) 12, 14 (2020), 5768 [14 pp.]
ISSN: 2071-1050

Factor impacto JCR: 3.251 (2020)

Categ. JCR: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES rank: 124 / 273 = 0.454 (2020) - Q2 - T2
Categ. JCR: ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES rank: 60 / 125 = 0.48 (2020) - Q2 - T2
Categ. JCR: GREEN & SUSTAINABLE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY rank: 30 / 44 = 0.682 (2020) - Q3 - T3
Categ. JCR: GREEN & SUSTAINABLE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY rank: 6 / 9 = 0.667 (2020) - Q3 - T3

Factor impacto SCIMAGO: 0.611 - Energy Engineering and Power Technology (Q1) - Environmental Science (miscellaneous) (Q1) - Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment (Q1) - Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law (Q1) - Geography, Planning and Development (Q1)

Tipo y forma: Article (Published version)

Área (Departamento): Área Psicolog.Evolut.Educac (Dpto. Psicología y Sociología)
Área (Departamento): Área Métod.Invest.Diag.Educac. (Dpto. Ciencias de la Educación)
Área (Departamento): Área Teoría e Histª. Educación (Dpto. Ciencias de la Educación)