Social Integration in Higher Education and Development of Intrinsic Motivation: A Latent Transition Analysis.

This study, based on the self-determination theory, investigates the link between university students' social peer and teacher integration and intrinsic motivation development. Both integration contexts are expected to contribute to the student's development, either additive or compensatory. The analyses rely on a nationally representative sample of 7,619 German university students (NEPS data set) and cover the time between the 3rd and 5th semesters in a longitudinal design. Person-centered analytical tools were applied to tap interindividual differences in the motivational trajectories as well as in integration profiles. Latent transition analyses revealed distinct links between the motivational trajectories (Increase [n = 532], Moderate Decrease [n = 2580], Decrease [n = 4,507]) and the integration profiles (Highly Integrated [n = 2,492], Moderately Integrated [n = 3832], Isolated [n = 1,144], Peer Deprivated [n = 151]), pointing to additive effects of teacher and peer integration. Positive trajectories were more likely in the Highly than in Moderately Integrated profiles. The two profiles pointing to below-average integration levels (Isolated and Peer Deprivated) showed the same probabilities for rather negative trajectories. The results are discussed against the backdrop of self-determination theory and additive vs. compensatory effects of teacher and peer integration, proposing a threshold model.

Peer Group Embeddedness and Academic Motivation: A Developmental Perspective.

The present study focused on the increasing importance of peer group embeddedness on domain-specific academic motivation (intrinsic value and mastery goals) over the course of early adolescence. In this regard, two important research questions were investigated: (1) Does a change in peer group embeddedness influence a change in student intrinsic value and mastery goals? (2) Does this influence increase over the course of early adolescence? The research questions were investigated based on a five-wave longitudinal study over two school years (seventh and eighth grade) in Germany. The final sample comprised 349 students. True- intraindividual-change models showed a positive effect of a change in peer group embeddedness in the first half of eighth grade on the change of all domain-specific motivational dimensions-except for intrinsic value in English-in the second half of the eighth grade. In the seventh grade, a change in peer group embeddedness had no effect on all motivational dimensions. The results were discussed in terms of taking a developmental perspective for both peer group embeddedness and student academic motivation.

The transmission of academic values between best friends: How important is an accurate perception?

INTRODUCTION: Based on the expectancy-value theory and value transmission theory, the present study investigated the transmission process of academic values between best friends within the classroom. Expectancy-value theory argues that value related beliefs of important socialization agents influence the development of adolescents' academic values and that this effect is mediated through adolescents' perception of socializers' academic values. In this regard, best friends within the classroom were less focused by researchers although they become important socialization agents in adolescence. Therefore, the present study investigated the influence of friends' actual academic values on adolescents' academic values, and if this effect is mediated through adolescents' perception of friends' actual values. All dimensions of academic values according to the expectancy-value theory were focused: intrinsic value, attainment value, utility value, and emotional cost. METHODS: The research questions were investigated based on a two-wave longitudinal study in Germany. The final sample comprised of 303 adolescents of the fifth and seventh grade with a stable, reciprocated friend. RESULTS: Structural equation models revealed that the friends' actual attainment value indirectly influenced the attainment value of adolescents through the friends' perceived attainment value. The same effect pattern was found for emotional cost. For the utility value and intrinsic value, no transmission effect was observed. CONCLUSION: The results provide evidence that the transmission process was not uniform for all of the academic values. Results were discussed in terms of different theoretical concepts explaining the value transmission process between friends.

Socialization of emotion regulation strategies through friends.

This study examines the effects of best friends' emotion regulation strategies (regarding the emotions anger, fear, and sadness) on the development of adolescents' emotion regulation strategies and subsequent depressive symptoms. Based on a two-wave longitudinal sample of 238 German adolescents, true change analyses showed positive effects of best friends' adaptive strategies (T1) on the change of adolescents' adaptive strategies (T2 - T1) for anger and fear. Best friends' adaptive strategies (T1) indirectly influence the development of maladaptive strategies (T2 - T1) through the change of adaptive strategies (T2 - T1) and, in turn, the development of depressive symptoms (T2 - T1; two-step mediation). Best friends' adaptive strategies for sadness did not have an effect on adolescents' adaptive strategies. In contrast to adaptive strategies, none of the friends' maladaptive strategies affected adolescents' maladaptive strategies. The results are discussed in terms of peer influences on the development of emotion regulation strategies and psychosocial adjustment.