Cognitive and Motivational Components of Successful Learning Activity in Students Having Different Lateralization of Brain Function

Abstract

The goal of the research is studying the cognitive and motivational characteristics of learning activity success in students having different type of interhemispheric lateralization of brain function. The following methods were used for diagnostics: 1) performances of learning activity were determined a) using the technique "Integrated diagnostics of students' readiness for studying at a higher education institution" (the structural index); 2) using the qualitative analysis of academic progress during the assessment (effective index); 2) functional tests were used for determining the type of brain function lateralization. The following results were obtained: 1) psychological structure of the learning activity in dextrocerebral students is less developed while that in sinistrocerebral ones is more developed and is characterized by the complete set of components having the optimum quantity of links between qualities that are important for learning. For the psychological structure of learning activity, the level and quality of development are determined by the total of cognitive and motivational academically important qualities; 2)distinctions in learning activity success have been revealed between students of different brain function lateralization type. With the same values of learning activity structural index, the specific character of component and structural-functional characteristics of the psychological structure of learning activity is evident; it is explained by students' cognitive processes particularities and behavioral ones. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n6s5p304