Linda Borger , Hanna Eklöf , Stefan Johansson , Rolf Strietholt
{"title":"The issue of test-taking motivation in low- and high-stakes tests: are students underachieving in PISA?","authors":"Linda Borger , Hanna Eklöf , Stefan Johansson , Rolf Strietholt","doi":"10.1016/j.lindif.2025.102722","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>It is commonly recognized that test performance is influenced by both cognitive ability and motivational factors. To explore this phenomenon, a random sample of 15-year-old Swedish students (<em>n</em> = 5504), whose PISA 2018 results were linked to national registry data, was analyzed. Students' PISA performance was regressed on their self-reported test-taking effort in PISA, their national test scores in corresponding subject domains, and the interaction between these variables. Results reveal that test-taking effort had an independent influence on PISA scores after controlling for high-stakes test results (<em>β</em> = 0.15). More importantly, the relationship between the high-stakes national test and the low-stakes PISA was stronger at higher levels of effort (interaction coefficient; <em>β</em> = 0.05). Students who report low effort underperform in PISA by approximately one-third of a school year's learning gain, emphasizing the role of effort in obtaining an accurate assessment of ability. Implications for research and practice are discussed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48336,"journal":{"name":"Learning and Individual Differences","volume":"122 ","pages":"Article 102722"},"PeriodicalIF":9.0000,"publicationDate":"2025-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Learning and Individual Differences","FirstCategoryId":"102","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1041608025000986","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"PSYCHOLOGY, EDUCATIONAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
It is commonly recognized that test performance is influenced by both cognitive ability and motivational factors. To explore this phenomenon, a random sample of 15-year-old Swedish students (n = 5504), whose PISA 2018 results were linked to national registry data, was analyzed. Students' PISA performance was regressed on their self-reported test-taking effort in PISA, their national test scores in corresponding subject domains, and the interaction between these variables. Results reveal that test-taking effort had an independent influence on PISA scores after controlling for high-stakes test results (β = 0.15). More importantly, the relationship between the high-stakes national test and the low-stakes PISA was stronger at higher levels of effort (interaction coefficient; β = 0.05). Students who report low effort underperform in PISA by approximately one-third of a school year's learning gain, emphasizing the role of effort in obtaining an accurate assessment of ability. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
期刊介绍:
Learning and Individual Differences is a research journal devoted to publishing articles of individual differences as they relate to learning within an educational context. The Journal focuses on original empirical studies of high theoretical and methodological rigor that that make a substantial scientific contribution. Learning and Individual Differences publishes original research. Manuscripts should be no longer than 7500 words of primary text (not including tables, figures, references).