Are Mastery-Oriented College Students Better Time Managers?

Goal orientation and time management have been major components of most self-regulated learning models. They are also especially relevant for adaptative outcomes in the field of education. Goal orientation and time management have traditionally been measured through self-reports, and, although few studies have explored both variables, a positive and significant relation between them has been reported. However, it has been questioned whether people can provide accurate information about their own behavior. Therefore, there is a need for new and less subjective measures to assess these variables. In the present work, we administered objective tests to study goal orientation and time management to expand upon previous findings. Results indicated that goal orientation and time management measured objectively show a positive and significant relation. Mastery-oriented students manage their time more efficiently. Performance-oriented students tend to complete activities with lower values and initiate more task interruptions, resulting in less efficient time management.