Exam Preparation: The Influence of Action Control, Procrastination and Examination Experience on Students’ Goal Intention and Implementation Intention

Abstract

Introduction. In the framework of the intention-behavior-gap analysis in relation to exam preparation I examined whether intention – subdivided into goal and implementation intention – is influenced directly by the determinants action control, procrastination and examination experience which is inconsistent with the Theory of Planned Behavior and whether their influence varies in its intensity.Method. Basis for the research was a survey (N=204) which investigated university students’ (research participants) exam revision. In 2010, 1,149 German engineering students with an average age of 22.5 years received written questionnaires. 204 students were included in the overall evaluation. I used a structural equation modeling path analysis method to examine the possible relations between the above mentioned variables.Results. The results show that the determinant examination experience has a significant and substantial influence on implementation intention, whereas goal intention hasn’t. This influence is also relevant with regard to the determinant procrastination.Discussion. Based on the results, that examination experience influences students´exam revision more than expected by the Theory of Planned Behavior model. I concluded that more examination experience could be an opportunity to reduce the intention-behavior-gap. Furthermore, it could be stated that the development of implementation intention is promoted by goal intention and examination experience. A unilateral focus on goal intention is not reason-able. Examination experience can have a positive impact on procrastination behavior. In addition, it could be stated, that a lack or lower level of methodological skills or examination experience can be decisive for study success. With regard to the determinant action control no influence was detected.