Modeling motivational beliefs based on behavioral activation and inhibition system with the mediating role of dark personality in students

Numerous studies have been conducted on motivational beliefs, behavioral activation and inhibition systems, and dark personality. But a study that has developed a model of motivational beliefs based on the system of activation and behavioral inhibition mediated by dark personality in students has been neglected.

The aim of this study was to model motivational beliefs based on the system of activation and behavioral inhibition mediated by dark personality in students.

The present study was descriptive and of correlation and structural equations. The statistical population of the study included all humanities students of the doctoral program of Islamic Azad University, science and research branch of Tehran in the academic year 1398-99, numbering 1621 people, of whom 770 people were selected by available sampling method as a sample. The motivational beliefs questionnaire of Pintrich & et al. (1991), Carver & White (1994) behavioral activation and inhibition system, and Johnson & Webster (2010) dark personality questionnaire were used to collect the required data. Data were analyzed using structural equation statistical method at a significance level of 0.05 and Spss22 and Pls3 software.

The findings showed that the behavioral inhibition system had a negative and significant effect on motivational beliefs with the mediating role of dark personality (P= 6/754, β= -0/100). Also, behavioral activation system also had a positive and significant effect on motivational beliefs with the mediating role of dark personality (P= 0/660, β= 0/122).

According to the research findings, it can be concluded that the modeling of motivational beliefs based on the system of activation and behavioral inhibition mediated by dark personality is statistically significant and the model has the necessary validity.