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Choosing What to Study: Do Internal Judgments Predict Study-Time Allocation Intentions over and above External Agendas?

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Title: Choosing What to Study: Do Internal Judgments Predict Study-Time Allocation Intentions over and above External Agendas?
Language: English
Authors: Brendan A. Schuetze (ORCID 0000-0002-5210-6785), Veronica X. Yan
Source: Journal of Educational Psychology. 2026 118(2):176-193.
Availability: American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 18
Publication Date: 2026
Sponsoring Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Contract Number: 2238567
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Time Management, Time on Task, Study Habits, Student Motivation, Relevance (Education), Goal Orientation, Course Descriptions, Cues, Familiarity, Educational Environment, Environmental Influences, Undergraduate Students, Self Efficacy, Units of Study, Achievement Tests
Geographic Terms: Texas
DOI: 10.1037/edu0000989
ISSN: 0022-0663
1939-2176
Abstract: Research on how students allocate their study time has focused primarily on the influence of goals (often called "agendas") and metacognitive judgments (learners' perceptions of how well they know the material). Studies of agenda-based study time allocation have typically operationalized agendas using explicit point values assigned to learning different material in the context of in-lab word-pair learning tasks. The present study extends this agenda-based regulation framework to more educationally realistic settings through in-lab manipulations of course structure presented in a syllabus (Studies 1 and 2) and observational data from study planning exercises in real classes (Studies 3 and 4). The present studies allowed for the comparison of the predictive utility of internal learner judgments in addition to external agendas. Specifically, we included external agenda-related cues (e.g., whether a unit would be tested, whether exams were cumulative, the expected number of exam questions) and internal judgments (e.g., interest, difficulty, confidence) to determine whether students' internal judgments predict study time over and above external agendas. Across the four studies, external agendas accounted for substantial variance in students' study time allocation intentions and in three of the four studies, internal judgments explained relatively little variance over and above the explanatory power provided by external agenda-related cues. The fourth study showed more optimistic estimates for the amount of variance explained by internal judgments. Nevertheless, the relative importance of internal judgements and external cues varied with context, underscoring the importance of investigating metacognitive regulation using educationally relevant materials and real-world educational settings.
Abstractor: As Provided
Notes: https://osf.io/w62xg
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1507484
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Choosing What to Study: Do Internal Judgments Predict Study-Time Allocation Intentions over and above External Agendas?
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  Data: English
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Brendan+A%2E+Schuetze%22">Brendan A. Schuetze</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5210-6785">0000-0002-5210-6785</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Veronica+X%2E+Yan%22">Veronica X. Yan</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Educational+Psychology%22"><i>Journal of Educational Psychology</i></searchLink>. 2026 118(2):176-193.
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  Data: American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
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  Data: 18
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: National Science Foundation (NSF)
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  Data: 2238567
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Time+Management%22">Time Management</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Time+on+Task%22">Time on Task</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Study+Habits%22">Study Habits</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Motivation%22">Student Motivation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Relevance+%28Education%29%22">Relevance (Education)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Goal+Orientation%22">Goal Orientation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Course+Descriptions%22">Course Descriptions</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cues%22">Cues</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Familiarity%22">Familiarity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Environment%22">Educational Environment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Environmental+Influences%22">Environmental Influences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Undergraduate+Students%22">Undergraduate Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self+Efficacy%22">Self Efficacy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Units+of+Study%22">Units of Study</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Achievement+Tests%22">Achievement Tests</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Texas%22">Texas</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1037/edu0000989
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  Data: 0022-0663<br />1939-2176
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Research on how students allocate their study time has focused primarily on the influence of goals (often called "agendas") and metacognitive judgments (learners' perceptions of how well they know the material). Studies of agenda-based study time allocation have typically operationalized agendas using explicit point values assigned to learning different material in the context of in-lab word-pair learning tasks. The present study extends this agenda-based regulation framework to more educationally realistic settings through in-lab manipulations of course structure presented in a syllabus (Studies 1 and 2) and observational data from study planning exercises in real classes (Studies 3 and 4). The present studies allowed for the comparison of the predictive utility of internal learner judgments in addition to external agendas. Specifically, we included external agenda-related cues (e.g., whether a unit would be tested, whether exams were cumulative, the expected number of exam questions) and internal judgments (e.g., interest, difficulty, confidence) to determine whether students' internal judgments predict study time over and above external agendas. Across the four studies, external agendas accounted for substantial variance in students' study time allocation intentions and in three of the four studies, internal judgments explained relatively little variance over and above the explanatory power provided by external agenda-related cues. The fourth study showed more optimistic estimates for the amount of variance explained by internal judgments. Nevertheless, the relative importance of internal judgements and external cues varied with context, underscoring the importance of investigating metacognitive regulation using educationally relevant materials and real-world educational settings.
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  Label: Abstractor
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  Data: As Provided
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  Data: https://osf.io/w62xg
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: EJ1507484
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      – Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: Time Management
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Time on Task
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      – SubjectFull: Study Habits
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      – SubjectFull: Achievement Tests
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      – SubjectFull: Texas
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      – TitleFull: Choosing What to Study: Do Internal Judgments Predict Study-Time Allocation Intentions over and above External Agendas?
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