Abstract
Increasing research has recognized and established that peers contribute to students’ school adjustment and academic motivation (Berndt, 1999). However, why good peer relations positively predict school adjustment has not yet been thoroughly examined, especially for university students. This study examined the relationship among social self-efficacy, learning activities with friends, and a sense of fulfillment in university life. A questionnaire was administered to 220 university students in Japan. Participants responded to three scales measuring the abovementioned three aspects. A multiple regression analysis was conducted to examine the effect of a sense of fulfillment on social self-efficacy and learning activities with friends based on gender. Consequently, social self-efficacy, especially for “belief in the power of friendship,” positively predicted learning activities with friends. In addition, “emotional support” in learning settings positively predicted a sense of fulfillment in their university life. This tendency was observed concerning both the genders. In contrast, “support exchanges in their assignments and reports” of learning activities negatively predicted a sense of fulfillment only in female students. The results indicate that students with high social self-efficacy have opportunities to learn and help their friends in learning activities, in turn contributing to the increase in a sense of fulfillment in university life. However, learning activities, such as depending on their friends, can also adversely affect students’ sense of fulfillment.
Author Information
Rumi Matsushima, Kyoto Notre Dame University, Japan
Paper Information
Conference: ACP2015
Stream: Psychology and Education
This paper is part of the ACP2015 Conference Proceedings (View)
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