Motivation and personality traits in adult learners

Abstract

In contrast to traditional students, post-traditional students follow a broken path through the education system. Therefore, they are older when studying and often have jobs and families. The aim of the present study was to investigate motivation and personality character traits in 67 adult learners (part-time students) and 84 traditional students using the Czech version of the Business-Focused Inventory of Personality. Adult learners reported a higher level in all aspects of their personality in relation to working life, such as occupational orientation and behaviour, social competencies, and psychological constitution. These findings indicate that, from study-related requirements, part-time students pose higher achievement and motivation, and that they are more conscientious in relation to work and study.