BIS- and BAS-activation and study outcomes: A mediation study

•Overcommitment to one’s studies is positively associated with BIS-activation.•Study engagement is positively associated with BAS-activation.•Overcommitment is linked to high levels of exhaustion and intention to quit.•Engagement is linked to little exhaustion and intention to quit, and good performance.•Study investment mediates the relations between BIS/BAS-activation and outcomes.

Building on Gray’s original Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory, we examined how individual differences in students’ activation of the behavioral inhibition (BIS) and the behavioral approach (BAS) systems relate to overcommitment to one’s studies and study engagement, and how these two forms of heavy study investment relate to three academically relevant outcomes. Using data from 565 Dutch university students, structural equation modeling showed that BIS-activation was positively associated with overcommitment to one’s studies, which in turn was positively related to exhaustion and the intention to quit one’s studies. BAS-activation was positively associated with study engagement, which in turn was negatively related to exhaustion and the intention to quit, and positively related to academic performance. Bootstrapping techniques revealed a mediating role of the two forms of heavy study investment. Apparently, BIS- and BAS-activation are associated with heavy study behavior, student well-being, and study outcomes.