The Cost of Low Interest: How Study Work Suffers When Interest Is Low

Abstract

A high level of interest has repeatedly been found to be associated with positive outcomes in learning, motivation, and attention. Yet, the consequences of low interest have received little attention. The present study investigates the potential negative outcomes of low interest, focusing on increased perceived effort cost and its effect on task avoidance behaviors. Scales were used to assess degrees of individual interest, perceived effort cost, and task avoidance among 447 university students. Consistent with previous studies on children, results indicated a significant negative correlation between interest and perceived effort cost. Further, perceived effort cost positively predicted task avoidance. A mediation analysis revealed that perceived effort cost partially mediated the relationship between low interest and task avoidance. These findings provide new insights regarding the relationship between interest and cost perception, and the motivational basis of avoidance behaviors in students. Understanding these relationships is important for developing educational strategies that effectively address motivational factors and barriers to student engagement, both important to reduce academic disengagement and dropout rates.