The Role of Selective Attention, Cognitive Flexibility and Self-Directed Learning in Predicting the Balance of Possible Selves in Students

The aim of the present study was the role of selective attention, cognitive flexibility and self-directed learning in predicting the balance of possible selves in students. The descriptive research method was correlation type. The statistical population of the research was all male and female students of the second year of middle school in Tabriz city in the academic year of 2023-2024. The sample size in this research was 234 male and female students (120 female and 114 male) who were selected by multi-stage cluster random sampling. To collect data, questionnaires of possible selves (Zadshir et al., 2019), cognitive abilities (Najati, 2012), cognitive flexibility (Dennis and Vanderwaal, 2010) and self-directed learning readiness scale of Fisher et al. (2001) were used. . Data analysis was done using Pearson's correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis simultaneously. The results of the research showed that selective attention and perception of controllability and perception of different options have a positive and significant relationship with possible selves. On the other hand, there is a positive and significant relationship between self-management, motivation and self-control of self-directed learning with possible selves, but no relationship was observed between the perception of cognitive flexibility behavior justification and possible selves. Also, the results of the regression analysis showed that self-directed learning, cognitive flexibility and selective attention are able to predict the changes of the possible selves in students.