What Influences Implementation Intentions in an Academic Learning Context – The roles of Goal Intentions, Procrastination, and Experience

Abstract

Studies show that many students struggle with properly organizing their academic activities; what makes things even worse is that up to 90% of students are at least part-time procrastinators. In order to clarify how these students could be supported, the article at hand deals with the influences and possible benefits of implementation intentions in an academic learning context and substantiates the literature discussion with data collected among students. Aiming at studying the antecedents of academic performance from a cognitive perspective, the research complements an extended form of the Theory of Planned Behaviour by integrating procrastination and experience. Unlike many other studies, this paper does not focus on reasons for nor different forms of procrastination, but rather develops a comprehensive framework for understanding academic learning. A structural equation modelling approach is applied for this purpose using an empirical data base. For the outcome of this research different hypotheses are investigated especially in reference to implementation intentions. In the majority of cases the theories presented during the literature review can be substantiated with the empirical data used for the study. Key findings are the significant influences of goal intentions, as well as experience, and their positive effect on implementation intentions. Furthermore, the negative influence of procrastination is underlined by the results of the paper and identified as a major problem for college students. Other findings of the paper are the effects of subjective norms and PBC (Perceived Behaviour Control) on the formation of goal intentions. Nevertheless, the study brings up several further questions and identifies areas where research should be deepened, that is behaviour itself.

Exam Preparation: The Influence of Action Control, Procrastination and Examination Experience on Students’ Goal Intention and Implementation Intention

“…As I have previously discussed (e.g. Sommer, 2011;Sommer & Haug, 2012), two aspects are included implicitly in the TPB model that could contribute to reducing the intentionbehavior gap: (1) On the one hand, there is implementation intention, as discussed above, provided that intention is subdivided into goal intention and implementation intention, as proposed by Gollwitzer (1999); (2) On the other hand, there is experience which in the model above only has the influence of a background factor (Ajzen, 2005). Implementation intention as an approach to reduce the gap was examined by Ajzen (2005) for example in connection with literal inconsistencies: "perhaps consistent with this account, implementation intentions may be effective because they improve memory for the behavioral intention" (Ajzen, 2005, p. 106).…”

“…Current studies like the one by Coté, Gagon, Kouffé Houme, Abdeljelil and Gagon (2012), too, confirm the relevance of past behavior. However, these studies are in conflict with numerous oppositional studies that notably question the relevance of past behavior and/or experience (Sommer, 2011;Sommer & Haug, 2012). In the context of the TPB model experience is classified explicitly as background factor (Ajzen, 2005).…”

“…The question is whether experience or past behavior directly influences intention or whether it is merely a background factor, and takes effect indirectly. There are a number of studies that assume a more or less strong influence of experience or past behavior or habits with regard to intention (Sommer, 2011;Sommer & Haug, 2012). Current studies like the one by Coté, Gagon, Kouffé Houme, Abdeljelil and Gagon (2012), too, confirm the relevance of past behavior.…”

“…As I have previously discussed (Sommer & Haug, 2012), Gollwitzer (1993Gollwitzer ( , 1999 introduced the term implementation intention, subdividing intention into goal intention and implementation intention. While goal intention describes an objective that shall be achieved, implementation intention serves as specification for the implementation of the objective (Gollwitzer, 1999).…”

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star How Subjective Norm Mediates So Far? Formation Of Social Entrepreneurship Intention In Malaysia

“…Subjective Norm Subjective norm is described as "perceiving social pressure whether to perform or not to perform the specific behavior" (i.e., social entrepreneurship) (Kautonen, van Gelderen, & Fink, 2015; Kautonen, van Gelderen, & Tornikoski, 2013; Ajzen, 1991). Preceding research observed a robust linkage between norm and intention (Ajzen, 1991;Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975 (Sommer & Haug, 2011). Some researchers have concluded that subjective norms are strongly dependent on context (Hübner & Kaiser, 2006).…”