Interwoven systems: Towards an integrative framework of students’ motivational and emotional self-regulation

Adaptively regulating achievement motivation and achievement emotions is critical for students in navigating their academic lives. Traditionally, motivational (MR) and emotional self-regulation (ER) have been studied in isolation from one another, and they both belong to separate research traditions within educational psychology. Given the conceptual as well as functional connections among motivation and emotions, however, it is likely that regulatory processes targeting these constructs are closely interwoven as well. Building on contemporary models in educational psychology and related disciplines, we propose a process-oriented model for conceptualizing and studying MR and ER as interwoven rather than isolated components of students’ self-regulated learning. The model centers on students’ interpretations of their motivational versus emotional regulatory needs as well as their adoption of regulatory goals as pivotal determinants of their subsequent selection, implementation, and monitoring of self-regulatory strategies. In integrating prior theorizing and empirical research from both MR and ER literatures, we identify potential intersections and conflicts among motivational and emotional components of students’ self-regulation in academic settings. Furthermore, we propose key questions for future research generated from our model, and outline avenues and challenges on the way towards integrative approaches to studying MR and ER from methodological, collaborative research, and practical perspectives.