The Influence of Motivational Conflicts on Personal Values

In an experimental study with university students, the authors tested the assumption that the importance students place on achievement, conformity, well-being, and hedonistic values depend on their perceptions of their reactions in conflicts between school and leisure activities. In a 2x2 design, the authors manipulated both the extent to which students’ self-regulation during an achievement-related task (Bourdon-Test) is impaired based on a leisure-related temptation (read and rate jokes) as well as the extent to which students’ attention is directed toward these reactions. Results indicated an effect of the experimental manipulation on participants’ achievement values. The authors discuss the results in terms of a potential reciprocal direction of influence between experiences in motivational action conflicts and the personal values associated with those actions.