a psycholinguistics case study in turkey: basic psychological needs ...

The Journal of Academic Social Science Studies

International Journal of Social Science Doi number:http://dx.doi.org/10.9761/JASSS3613 Number: 48 , p. 283-291, Summer II 2016 Yayın Süreci Yayın Geliş Tarihi / Article Arrival Date - Yayınlanma Tarihi / The Published Date 15.07.2016 15.08.2016

A PSYCHOLINGUISTICS CASE STUDY IN TURKEY: BASIC PSYCHOLOGICAL NEEDS AND PERSONALITY TRAITS AS PREDICTORS OF STUDENTS' AVERAGE FINAL GRADES: ÖĞRENCİLERİN ORTALAMA FİNAL NOTLARININ YORDAYICISI OLARAK KİŞİLİK ÖZELLİKLERİ VE TEMEL PSİKOLOJİK İHTİYAÇLAR: TÜRKİYE’DE BİR RUHDİLBİLİM VAKIA ÇALIŞMASI Dr. Hakan AYDOĞAN Mugla Sitki Kocman University Abstract The aim of this study is to examine the predictive power of basic psychological needs and personality traits on students' final grades. The sample of this study consists of 151 Turkish students, 77 of whom (51%) were females and 74 (49%) males. Participants' mean age was M = 21.65 (SD = 2.21). Participants were in first to sixth year of their study in Aegean region at a State university studying in an ELT department. Basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence and relatedness) were assessed by the Basic Need Satisfaction in General Scale (BNSG, Gagné, 2003) whereas personality traits (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism and openness to experience) were estimated by the abbreviated 10-item short version of the Big Five Inventory (BFI-10, Rammstedt & John, 2007). Both measures had a very good internal consistency (i.e. reliability), calculated for each of their subscales. Multiple regression analysis revealed that basic psychological needs accounted for 61.7% of students' final grades (autonomy and competence were statistically significant predictors of this criterion variable). In addition, personality traits accounted for 57.3% of the criterion's variance (agreeableness and conscientiousness were statistically significant predictors of students' final grades). The findings were explained by using the frame of Self-determination theory and some considerations on self-efficacy. In the end, some recommendations for further research were listed along with advantages and disadvantages of the present study. Keywords: Basic Psychological Needs, Personality Traits, Psycholinguistics Öz Bu çalışmanın amacı öncelikle öğrencilerin final notları üzerindeki temel

284 Hakan AYDOĞAN psikolojik ihtiyaçlarının ve kişilik özelliklerinin yordayıcı gücünü incelemektir. Bu çalışma örneği 77 bayan (tüm katılımcıların %51’i) ve 74 (% 49’u) erkekten oluşmaktadır. Katılımcıların ortalama yaşı M=21.65’dir ve üniversite eğitiminin ilk ve altıncı yılları arasında bulunmakta olup kendileri Ege Bölgesinde bir Devlet üniversitesinde İngilizce Öğretmenliği bölümünde okumaktadırlar. Temel psikolojik ihtiyaçlar (otonomi, beceri ve ilintililik) Temel İhtiyaçlar tatmini Genel Ölçeği (BNSG, Gagné, 2003) kullanılarak saptanmıştır. Buna karşın kişilik özellikleri için ise (içine kapalılık, uyumluluk, bilinçlilik, duygusal dengesizlik ve yeni tecrübelere açıklık) Beşli Büyük Ölçeğin (BFI-10, Rammstedt& John, 2007) kısaltılmış on maddelik versiyonu kullanılmıştır. Belirtmek gerekir ki, her iki ölçeğin de içsel tutarlılıkları (güvenirlik gibi) çok iyidir ve her alt ölçek için ayrı ayrı hesaplanmıştır. Çoklu regresyon analizi, temel psikolojik ihtiyaçların % 61.7’sinin öğrencilerin final notlarına tekabül ettiğini göstermiştir (otonomi ve beceri bu kıstas değişkeninin istatistik olarak önemli yordayıcısı olarak ortaya çıkmıştır). Ayrıca, kişilik özellikleri kıstas değişkeninin % 57.3’üne tekabül etmiştir (uyumluluk ve bilinçlilik öğrencilerin final notlarının istatiksel olarak önemli yordayıcılarıydı). Bu bulgular Öz Belirleme kuramı çerçevesi ve öz yeterlilik esasları kullanılarak açıklanmıştır. Sonuç kısmında ise mevcut çalışmanın avantajlı ve dezavantajları taraflarıyla beraber İngilizce Öğretmenliği alanında yapılacak çalışmalar için bazı tavsiyelerde bulunulmuştur. Anahtar Kelimeler: Temel Psikolojik Ihtiyaçlar, Kişilik Özellikleri, Ruh Dilbilim

1. INTRODUCTION Theories and models of motivation and personality structure can be applied to the educational psychology. One of the most known models of human motivation is that of E. L. Deci and R. M. Ryan (2000), derived from the Self-determination theory (SDT). According to this theoretical perspective, human well-being depend on the degree of needs' fulfillment in each individual (Deci & Ryan, 1985). In fact, needs of autonomy, competence and relatedness have a very important role in explaining life satisfaction, attachment, job satisfaction, mental health, meeting personal and professional goals etc. (Reis et al., 2000). Autonomy refers to making decisions based on our own interests, internal values and perceptions. Competence is the need for being successful and self-confident at work, school, university and during some other actions and behaviors. Relatedness is the need for making and maintaining social and personal relationships which are harmonious and pleasant. Autonomy and competence boost intrinsic motivation and intrinsic motivation is sustained by their satisfaction (Niemiec & Ryan, 2009). Ideally, students

have to be autonomous, competent and able to take part in group activities (i.e. to possess the capacity for teamwork) in order to succeed in their school/academic environment. Betoret and Artiga (2011) examined that relationship between basic psychological needs and academic achievement. In this study, the needs for competence and relatedness were in low, positive and statistically significant correlations with students' achievements. According to Gottfried (1985), there is a positive and statistically significant correlation between intrinsic motivation and students' achievements (measured by teachers' grades and standardized tests). Autonomy, competence and relatedness are taking the Self-determination theory into account linked to intrinsic motivation. Thus, these needs should be positively correlated with students' final grades. Teachers' and students' personality traits are also important in educational context. There are various models and theories of personality structure. Some of them are traditional and the others are contemporary ones. The latter ones are based on statistics, psychometrics and strict methodology. In this

A Psycholinguıstics Case Study In Turkey Basic Psychological Needs And Personalıty Traıts As… 285

paper, the Big Five Model (BFM) and FiveFactor Model (FFM) were used in order to describe and ''summarize'' personality traits of participants. The first model was the result of psycholexical paradigm (all personality traits can be derived from the written or spoken language of a group of people). By using factor analysis (FA), five personality dimensions (traits) were extracted (Goldberg, 1990): extraversion (vs. introversion), emotional stability (vs. neuroticism), conscientiousness, agreeableness, and intellect/ imagination. The second model (Costa & McCrae, 1992: 2005) was similar to the first one, because the following personality traits were extracted: extraversion, neuroticism, conscientiousness, agreeableness and openness to experience. For the purpose of lots of previous articles, the terminology of these models was used interchangeably. In a study conducted by Komarraju, Karauand Schmeck (2009), conscientiousness, openness to experience, neuroticism, and agreeableness were statistically significant predictors of students' average grades. In their study, extraversion was not a significant predictor of students' average grades. Similar results were obtained by Steinmayr and Spinath (2007). However, in their study, extraversion was a statistically significant predictor of students' grades related to their mother tongues.

The purpose of this study is to examine the predictive power of basic psychological needs and personality traits on students' average final grades. Consequently, the following hypotheses were defined: 1. Autonomy and competence are in positive and statistically significant correlations with students' final grades. 2. Conscientiousness and openness to experience positively correlate whereas neuroticism negatively correlates with students' final grades. 3. Basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence and relatedness) explain significant portion of criterion's (final grades') variance. 4. Personality traits (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism and openness to experience) account for a significant percent of criterion's variance. 2.METHODOLOGY 2.1. Participants This study was carried out with 151 students who attended to a State University in Aegean Region in Turkey. Participants' mean age was M = 21.65 (SD = 2.21). The youngest participant was 18 and the oldest one 27 years old. There were 77 (51%) females and 74 (49%) males in the sample. Sample structure by students' gender and their year of study was displayed in Figure 1.

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Figure 1. Participants' gender and year of study This chart (Fig. 1) shows that 15 students (nine males and six females) were in the first year of study, 43 students (15 males and 28 females) were in the second, 56 (35 males and 21 females) in the third, 24 (12 males and 12 females) in the fourth, six of them (all females) in the fifth and seven (three males and four females) in the sixth year of their study. 2.2. Instruments First, participants were asked to provide answers on some general questions: their gender, age, year of studies and their average final grade. Basic Need Satisfaction in General scale (BNSG, Gagné, 2003; Ilardi, Leone, Kasser, & Ryan, 1993) has 21 items and it is a part of Basic Psychological Needs Scales (BPNS). It measures three basic psychological needs: autonomy, competence and relatedness, hence, it consists of three subscales. The first one (Autonomy) comprises seven items (R stands for ''reversely coded''): 1, 4(R), 8, 11(R), 14, 17, and 20(R). Competence includes six items: 3(R), 5, 10, 13, 15(R), and 19(R). The last one (Relatedness) comprised of the following eight items: 2, 6, 7(R), 9, 12, 16(R), 18(R), and 21. A seven-point Likert scale was attributed to each item (1 – ''not at all true'' to 7 – ''very true''). In this research, coefficients of inter-

nal consistency (i.e. Cronbach's coefficients) of these subscales were as follows: α = .870 (Autonomy), α = .818 (Competence), and α = .847 (Relatedness). Therefore, the reliability of the BNSG subscales was very good. The abbreviated 10-item short version of the Big Five Inventory (BFI-10, Rammstedt & John, 2007) was created based on the full version of the Big Five Inventory. The full version includes 44 items, organized in the five subscales: Extraversion (E), Agreeableness (A), Conscientiousness (C), Neuroticism (N), and Openness to experience (O). BFI-10 also includes five subscales, however; each of them comprised of a pair of items. One item in the pair is positively defined whereas the other is negatively defined (e.g. the Extraversion items: ''I see myself as someone who is outgoing, sociable'' vs. ''I see myself as someone who is reserved''). Negatively-defined items are reversely-coded. When we calculate average score for a particular personality trait, we simply add participant's answer on positively-defined item and his/her answer on negatively-defined item (after the recoding), and divide this result by two. Each item has a fivepoint Likert scale where: 1 – ''disagree strongly '', 2 – ''disagree a little'', 3 – ''neither agree nor disagree'', 4 – ''agree a little'', and 5 –


''agree strongly.'' In this study, the reliability of these five subscales was: α = .671 (Extraversion; items 1 and 6), α = .529 (Agreeableness; items 2 and 7 ), α = .566 (Conscientiousness; items 3 and 8), α = .551 (Neuroticism; items 4 and 9), and α = .556 (Openness to experience; items 5 and 10). As can be noticed, Cronbach's alpha coefficients are somewhat smaller than the commonly used threshold value (α = .700). This is the result of the number of items in the subscales (two items each). Taking this information into account, it can be said that the internal consistency of these subscales is acceptable. 2.2. Research procedure and data processing This study was conducted at the end of June, 2016. Each student in this sample voluntarily accepted being part of this study. The researcher (i.e. the author of this article) ensured anonymity of students and confidentiality of the data provided. This study was a correlational one. Data were processed by using MS Excel and SPSS 17.0 for Win, where the database was created. Both descriptive and inferential statistical techniques were

applied. Minimum (Min) and maximum (Max) scores as well as mean values (M) and standard deviations (SD) were displayed. Pearsons' coefficients of correlation (r) were calculated and multiple regression analysis (MRA) was conducted twice. RESULTS At the beginning, descriptive statistical values were displayed (Table 1). As can be seen in Table 1, average final grade was M = 76.74 (SD = 6.50) whereas minimum final grade was 64 and the maximum one was 88. Next, it can be noticed that participants, in general, meet their needs successfully: mean value for autonomy was M = 5.67, M = 5.77 for competence, and M = 5.67 for relatedness. To be clear, the theoretical mean of the 7point Likert scale used in estimating basic psychological needs is 4. Thus, all means of participants' scores were above this value. Minimum score for relatedness was 4 and for autonomy 4.57; hence, it was equal to or greater than the theoretical average of the mentioned scale.

Table 1. Descriptive statistical values of the nine main variables Variables N Min Max M Average final grades 151 64.00 88.00 76.74 Autonomy 151 4.57 6.71 5.67 Competence 151 3.83 6.67 5.77 Relatedness 151 4.00 6.75 5.67 Extraversion 151 1.00 5.00 3.89 Agreeableness 151 3.00 5.00 4.05 Conscientiousness 151 2.00 5.00 4.02 Neuroticism 151 1.00 4.00 2.05 Openness to experience 151 2.50 5.00 4.12 As for personality traits, mean values of those traits that have positive connotations (socially-desirable traits) were above the theoretical mean of the 5-point Likert scale used in this case (i.e. above the value of 3): M = 3.89 (extraversion), M = 4.05 (agreeableness), M = 4.02 (conscientiousness), and M = 4.12

SD 6.50 0.59 0.63 0.62 0.70 0.51 0.64 0.52 0.57

(openness to experience). On the other hand, the mean value for neuroticism was below the theoretical average of the mentioned scale (it was calculated as M = 2.05). Therefore, in general, participants perceive themselves as emotionally stable persons.

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Table 2. Relationships between basic psychological needs and students' final grades Autonomy Competence Relatedness Final grades Autonomy 1 .773 .869 .745 Competence 1 .828 .727 Relatedness 1 .737 Final grades 1 Note. All coefficients of correlation were significant at the level of. 001 Figures in Table 2 show that all basic psychological needs were in strong, positive and statistically significant correlations with participants' final grades: r(149) = .745 (autonomy), r(149) = .727 (competence), and r(149) = .737 (relatedness), all p< .001. Therefore, the higher level of a need satisfaction, the greater participant's final grade. In ad-

dition, all basic psychological needs were in positive, strong and statistically significant intercorrelations (the highest correlation was calculated between autonomy and relatedness: r(149) = .869, p< .001; whereas the lowest one was obtained between autonomy and competence: r(149) = .773, p< .001).

Table 3. Relationships between personality traits and students' final grades E A C N O Final grades Extraversion (E) 1 .454*** .529*** -.582*** .423*** .487*** Agreeableness (A) 1 .522*** -.335*** .324*** .659*** Conscientiousness (C) 1 -.256** .208* .652*** Neuroticism (N) 1 -.319*** -.332*** Opennes to experience (O) 1 .260** Final grades 1 Note. * p < .05; ** p < .01; ***p < .001 Referring to Table 3, it can be noticed that final grades were in a moderate, positive and statistically significant correlation with extraversion (r(149) = .487, p< .001), agreeableness (r(149) = .659, p< .001), and conscientiousness (r(149) = .652, p< .001). Participants' final grades were in a small, positive and statistically significant correlation with openness to experience (r(149) = .260, p< .01). However, students' final grades negatively correlated with neuroticism (r(149) = -.332, p< .001). Hence, the higher level of

extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, openness to experience and emotional stability, the greater students' final grades. Additionally, all personality traits were in statistically significant mutual correlations where neuroticism correlated negatively with the other four traits. In order to examine the predictive power of basic psychological needs and personality traits (while predicting final grades), two multiple regression analyses (MRAs) were conducted (tables 4 & 5).


Table 4. Results of MRA (predictors: basic psychological needs, criterion: final grades) Unstandardized coefficients Standardized coefficients t B Std. Error Beta (β) (Constant) 25.953 3.326 7.803 Autonomy 3.948 1.156 .359 3.416 Competence 3.167 0.955 .308 3.318 Relatedness 1.784 1.242 .171 1.437 F(3, 147) = 78.921, p< .001; R = .785; R2 = .617 The regression model with the three basic psychological needs as predictors (Table 4) was statistically significant (F(3, 147) = 78.921, p< .001). They explained 61,7% of the final grades' variance (because the coefficient

of multiple determination was R2 = .617). The two statistically significant predictors were autonomy (β = .359, t = 3.416, p < .01) and competence (β = .308, t = 3.318, p < .01), where autonomy was the better predictor.

Table 5. Results of MRA (predictors: personality traits, criterion: final grades) Unstandardized coefficients Standardized coefficients B Std.Error Beta (β) (Constant) 39.092 4.821 Extraversion 0.540 0.736 .058 Agreeableness 5.187 0.858 .406 Conscientiousness 3.974 0.704 .393 Neuroticism -0.752 0.841 -.061 Openness to exp. 0.026 0.698 .002 F(5, 145) = 38.936, p< .001; R = .757; R2 = .573 Taking the five personality traits into account as predictors of students' final grades (Table 5), this regression model was statistically significant as well (F(5, 145) = 38.936, p< .001). All predictors accounted for 57,3% of the criterion's variance. The two statistically significant predictors were agreeableness (β = .406, t = 6.043, p < .001) and conscientiousness (β = .393, t = 5.644, p < .001). The first one was the better predictor of students' final grades. DISCUSSION The first hypothesis was confirmed because autonomy and competence fulfillment was positively correlated with students' average final grades. In other words, students who feel autonomous and competent during their educational efforts get high school/academic grades. Relatedness was also in positive correlation with students' final

P .000 .001 .001 .153

t 8.109 0.734 6.043 5.644 -0.894 0.037

grades. Indirectly, but conceptually, these findings are in accordance with those of Gottfried (1985) whose study confirmed that intrinsic motivation is positively correlated with academic achievements. The results of the study conducted by Betoret and Artiga (2011) supports our findings for competence and relatedness, but not for autonomy. The second hypothesis was also confirmed. This is because high levels of conscientiousness and openness to experience as well as low levels of neuroticism in students produce better final grades i.e. more positive school/academic performance. These group of findings are similar to those of Komarraju, Karau and Schmeck (2009) as well as of Steinmayr and Spinath (2007). The results of the first multiple regression analysis were in accordance with the third hypothesis. Basic psychological needs

p .000 .464 .000 .000 .373 .971

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explained more than 60% of the criterion's variance. Autonomy was the better predictor than the competence because university students should rely on themselves and be enough mature in order to achieve positive learning outcomes. If they are autonomous and self-confident, they have predisposition to succeed in academic environment. The last hypothesis was confirmed as well, because personality traits accounted for almost 60% of final grades' variance. Agreeableness was a better predictor compared to conscientiousness. Presumably, this finding can be attributed to the obedience to authority and good relationships with others. Students who are more agreeable can manage social relations successfully and can be perceived by their colleagues and teachers as those who are tolerant, modest, altruistic and emphatic. They are also perceived as good students who want to learn the contents of a school subject (or academic course) and who offer no resistance to teachers' demands. Some of these results are not in accordance with those obtained by Komarraju, Karauand Schmeck (2009). In their study, conscientiousness was the best predictor of participants' academic achievements. The main limitation of this study is its type (a correlational one). In fact, we do not know whether the fulfillment of the basic psychological needs influence academic performance of participants or academic performance has impact on the degree of needs' satisfaction. In addition, conscientiousness can lead to better grades; however, better grades can reinforce the sense of self-efficacy, improve somebody's learning habits, etc. (because greater grades can be positive reinforcers or motivators). In contrast, the main advantage of this study is taking into account not only motivation, but personality traits (dimensions) as well. Some recommendations for further studies can be summarized in the following way: 1. Examining teachers'levels of autonomy, competence and relatedness as well as

their impact on students levels of the same basic psychological needs. 2. Investigating the concordance between teachers' and students' personality traits and the influence of this similarity (or dissimilarity) in personality on students' academic achievements. CONCLUSION By examining figures in tables 2–5 and taking into account the four hypothesis that were stated before, the following conclusions can be derived: 1. Autonomy and competence were in strong, positive and statistically significant correlations with students' final grades. 2. Conscientiousness and openness to experience were in positive and statistically significant correlations with participants' final grades. On the other hand, the correlation between neuroticism and final grades was negative and statistically significant. 3. Basic psychological needs explained a considerable amount of the criterion's (final grades') variance. The regression model was statistically significant. 4. Personality traits accounted for more than 50% of the criterion's variance. The contribution of the five predictors (taken together) was statistically significant. REFERENCES Betoret, F. D. & Artiga, A. G. (2011). The relationship among student psychological need satisfaction, approaches to learning, reporting of avoidance strategies and achievement. Electronic Journal of Research in Educational Psychology, 9(2), 1-36. Costa, P. & McCrae, R. (1992). Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R) and NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) professional manual. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources, Inc. Costa, P. & McCrae, R. (2005). NEO-PI-R –


Revidirani NEO inventar ličnosti. Jastrebarsko: Naklada Slap. Deci, E. L. & Ryan, R. M. (1985). Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior. New York: Plenum. Deci, E. L. & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The “what” and “why” of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11, 227-268. Gagné, M. (2003). The role of autonomy support and autonomy orientation in prosocial behavior engagement. Motiv. Emotion, 27, 199-223. Goldberg, L. R. (1990). An alternative 'Description of Personality': The Big Five factor structure. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 59, 1216-1229. Gottfried, A. E. (1985). Academic intrinsic motivation in elementary and junior high school students. Journal of Educational Psychology, 77, 631-645. Ilardi , B. C., Leone, D., Kasser, R., &Ryan, R. M. (1993). Employee and supervisor ratings of motivation: Main effects and discrepancies associated with job satisfaction and adjustment in a factory setting. J. Appl. Soc. Psychol., 23, 1789-1805.

Komarraju, M., Karau, S., & Schmeck, R. (2009). Role of the Big Five personality traits in predicting college students' academic motivation and achievement. Learning and Individual Differences, 19, 47-52. Niemiec, C. P. & Ryan, R. M. (2009). Autonomy, competence, and relatedness in the classroom: Applying self-determination theory to educational practice. Theory and Research in Education, 7, 133-144. Rammstedt, B. & John, O. P. (2007). Measuring personality in one minute or less: A 10-item short version of the Big Five Inventory in English and German. Journal of Research in Personality, 41, 203-212. Reis, H.T., Sheldon, K. M., Gable, S. L., Roscoe, J., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). Daily well-being: The role of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 26, 419-435. Steinmayr, R. & Spinath, B. (2007). Predicting school achievement from motivation and personality. Zeitschrift fur Padagogische Psychologie, 21, 207-216.

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