Question

Regarding motivation for studying, the results were as expected. Self-oriented perfectionism showed positive correlations with autonomous reasons for studying (intrinsic reasons and extrinsic reasons), and socially prescribed perfectionism showed positive correlations with controlled reasons (introjected reasons and extrinsic reasons). Whereas self-oriented perfectionism also showed a positive bivariate correlation with introjected reasons, this correlation became non-significant when partial correlations were regarded and the overlap between self-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism was controlled for (see Table 2). Moreover, socially prescribed perfectionism showed a significant negative correlation with intrinsic reasons when the overlap with self-oriented perfectionism was controlled for.

Regarding test anxiety, the results were largely as expected. Socially prescribed perfectionism showed positive correlations with total anxiety in both the bivariate and the partial correlations (see Table 2). Moreover, it showed positive correlations with interference and with lack of confidence in all correlations. In contrast, self-oriented perfectionism showed negative correlations with interference and with lack of confidence, but positive correlations with worry. As expected, the finding confirmed that self-oriented perfectionism is an ambivalent form of perfectionism as it was associated with both higher anxiety (worry) and lower anxiety (interference, lack of confidence) in exams. Unexpectedly, socially prescribed perfectionism showed no significant correlation with worry, and self-oriented perfectionism showed no significant correlation with total anxiety. Moreover, neither form of perfectionism showed any significant correlations with emotionality.

What kind of study design is this (experimental or correlational)?

If experimental, what is the independent variable?

If experimental, what is the dependent variable?

What kind of statistical test did the author run, and how do you know the used this test?

What do you think the null and alternative hypotheses are in this study? You might have to guess, but make them educated guesses!

Answer 1

What kind of study design is this (experimental or correlational)?

This is a correlational study. The study design is indicated in the second sentence.

If experimental, what is the independent variable?

Perfectionism (self-oriented and socially prescribed) would be the independent variable.

If experimental, what is the dependent variable?

Motivation for studying (extrinsic and intrinsic) would be one of the dependent variables.

Test anxiety would be another dependent variable.

What kind of statistical test did the author run, and how do you know the used this test?

The author ran the Pearson r statistic, a test of correlation. This can be inferred from the observation that the author seeks to assess the degree of association or relationship between the variables of interest. It is also stated that author measures bivariate and partial correlations. For this type of measurement, the Person r is used.

What do you think the null and alternative hypotheses are in this study?

Null Hypothesis 1: There is no significant relationship between perfectionism and motivation for studying.

Null Hypothesis 2: There is no significant relationship between perfectionism and test anxiety.

Alternative Hypothesis 1: There is a significant relationship between perfectionism and motivation for studying.

Alternative Hypothesis 2: There is a significant relationship between perfectionism and test anxiety.