The action tendency for learning: Characteristics and antecedents in regular lessons

An emotion is often accompanied by an action tendency, which is a feeling of wanting to take action. This study investigated whether students experience an action tendency for learning (a feeling of wanting-to-learn). Interviews were carried out with 52 Australian grade 10 students immediately following a regular lesson. Students were asked whether they had experienced a feeling of wanting-to-learn, and if so, to identify its causes and effects. Triangulation was used to establish validity. Students reported a valenced and dynamic action tendency for learning, which had occurred during the lesson. Antecedents included, but were not limited to, perceptions of control and value, and their associated achievement emotions. There was a consistently positive relationship between this action tendency and learning behaviours.