Multitasking while studying - grit moderates the relationship of situational motivation and multitasking

Multitasking during studying is frequent among students. In this experience sampling study we examine if multitasking during studying can be explained by situational study motivation and the personality trait grit; and if grit moderates the relationship of situational motivation and multitasking. Ei...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Frontiers in psychology 2024-07, Vol.15, p.1404767
Main Authors: Bachmann, Olga, Grunschel, Carola, Fries, Stefan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
grit
motivation
multitasking
Psychology
self-determination
students
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Summary:Multitasking during studying is frequent among students. In this experience sampling study we examine if multitasking during studying can be explained by situational study motivation and the personality trait grit; and if grit moderates the relationship of situational motivation and multitasking. Eighty-eight students participated. All participants planned to write an important exam within the upcoming 2 weeks. Situational motivation was conceptualized along the lines of self-determination theory, differentiating between autonomous and controlled motivation. Also, we assessed students' grit. Hypotheses were tested using multilevel modeling in MPlus. As predicted, students multitasked less when situational study motivation was autonomous (vs. controlled). Contrary to predictions, we did not find a significant main effect of grit on multitasking. However, the interaction effect was significant, indicating that in situations with relatively controlled study motivation grittier students are more likely to refrain from multitasking than their less gritty peers.
ISSN:1664-1078
1664-1078
DOI:10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1404767