Variability in Certainty of Self-Reported Interest: Implications for Theory and Research

These studies examined self-reported interest, how level of interest is related to reported certainty of interest, and whether certainty helps to clarify the relationship between interest and behavior.  This research borrows from research on attitudes showing that attitude certainty helps to clarif...

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Main Authors: Amanda Durik, Jade Jenkins
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: EARLI 2020-03-01
Series:Frontline Learning Research
Online Access:https://journals.sfu.ca/flr/index.php/journal/article/view/491
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author Amanda Durik
Jade Jenkins
author_facet Amanda Durik
Jade Jenkins
author_sort Amanda Durik
collection DOAJ
description These studies examined self-reported interest, how level of interest is related to reported certainty of interest, and whether certainty helps to clarify the relationship between interest and behavior.  This research borrows from research on attitudes showing that attitude certainty helps to clarify the relationship between attitudes and behavior.  A pilot study examined the relationship between self-reported interest and certainty of interest within four disciplines (math, psychology, biology, and astronomy). These relationships were replicated in math (Study 1) and psychology (Study 2), and the relationships between interest and behavior were stronger for those with greater certainty.  For domains in which participants had sufficient levels of experience and varied levels of interest, curvilinear relationships were found between level of interest and certainty, showing that certainty is higher among individuals who report more extreme (high or low) levels of interest.  Moreover, self-reported interest predicted behavior more strongly for those with more certainty in their responses. Discussion surrounds the theoretical and methodological utility of considering certainty of interest alongside measures of self-reported interest. 
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spelling doaj.art-1b4e0daa8686490cb3e9fb0b4e1162252022-12-22T02:53:16ZengEARLIFrontline Learning Research2295-31592020-03-018310.14786/flr.v8i3.491Variability in Certainty of Self-Reported Interest: Implications for Theory and ResearchAmanda Durik0Jade Jenkins1Northern Illinois University, USANorthern Illinois University, USA These studies examined self-reported interest, how level of interest is related to reported certainty of interest, and whether certainty helps to clarify the relationship between interest and behavior.  This research borrows from research on attitudes showing that attitude certainty helps to clarify the relationship between attitudes and behavior.  A pilot study examined the relationship between self-reported interest and certainty of interest within four disciplines (math, psychology, biology, and astronomy). These relationships were replicated in math (Study 1) and psychology (Study 2), and the relationships between interest and behavior were stronger for those with greater certainty.  For domains in which participants had sufficient levels of experience and varied levels of interest, curvilinear relationships were found between level of interest and certainty, showing that certainty is higher among individuals who report more extreme (high or low) levels of interest.  Moreover, self-reported interest predicted behavior more strongly for those with more certainty in their responses. Discussion surrounds the theoretical and methodological utility of considering certainty of interest alongside measures of self-reported interest.  https://journals.sfu.ca/flr/index.php/journal/article/view/491
spellingShingle Amanda Durik
Jade Jenkins
Variability in Certainty of Self-Reported Interest: Implications for Theory and Research
Frontline Learning Research
title Variability in Certainty of Self-Reported Interest: Implications for Theory and Research
title_full Variability in Certainty of Self-Reported Interest: Implications for Theory and Research
title_fullStr Variability in Certainty of Self-Reported Interest: Implications for Theory and Research
title_full_unstemmed Variability in Certainty of Self-Reported Interest: Implications for Theory and Research
title_short Variability in Certainty of Self-Reported Interest: Implications for Theory and Research
title_sort variability in certainty of self reported interest implications for theory and research
url https://journals.sfu.ca/flr/index.php/journal/article/view/491
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