Abstract:

This study examines the correlational and predictive relations between motivational constructs and levels of self-regulatory strategy use in university students representing three subject domains – two social science departments and one natural science department. Gender and year of study were used as categorizations variables. Multivariance analyses were run to examine main effects and interactive relations between gender, year of study and subjects’ mean levels of motivations and strategy use. Strong correlational ties among some of the motivational components were common to all three departments, while departmental differences did exist pertaining to the use of cognitive and metacognitive strategies, and resource management. Analyses of the predictive power of motivational components on strategy use levels established intrinsic goal orientation as the single most significant determiner of strategy use, however levels of motivation and strategy use were not predictive of achievement for all departments. Contextual reasons and pedagogical implications of these results are discussed.

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