Individual Differences in Self-regulation and Quality of Motivation of Pre-service Teachers as Predictors of Learning and Affective Outcomes,

Individuals differ in their self-regulatory functions. Some people critically evaluate alternatives to judge the quality of a choice (prevention-focus), whereas some other people head toward a choice without undue distractions or delays (promotion-focus). People with a prevention-focus are more concerned about others’ evaluation of their own choices and for this reason they are more externally motivated (controlled motivation). Consequently, they are expected to function in a less optimal way compared to promotion-focus people who, as they try to remain in motion, they set in action a self-initiating mechanism to instigate their behavior (autonomous motivation). This study tested this assumption in a sample of 440 Greek pre-service teachers (Mage = 20.5 years, SD = 2.80; 90.9% females; 5 students omitted reporting their gender) by investigating whether their promotion-focus or prevention-focus along with autonomous or controlled motivation toward their choice to become teachers predict better adjustment, mainly less cheating attitudes, more effective learning strategies and better affect during their studies. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that teachers’ promotion-focus and/or autonomous motivation predict positively effective learning strategies and positive affect and negatively cheating and depression. Yet, teachers’ prevention-focus and/or controlled motivation predicted positively cheating, negative affect, depression and negatively effort regulation and positive affect. The results are discussed in terms of future teachers’ professional development depending on their individual differences and their initial motivation in their choice to become teachers.