Closing The Gap? Examining the Longitudinal Development of Intentions and the Intention–Behavior Gap in an Educational Psychology Lecture Course

Engagement in learning activities is crucial for academic success in higher education. However, many students engage in learning activities less frequently than initially intended. This results in an intention–behavior gap. Drawing from theories of action regulation and motivation, the present study examines intentions in the adaptation phase at the beginning of an academic term and volitional competencies (VOCO) as predictors of the intention–behavior gap. A sample of N = 675 preservice teachers from five cohorts under regular and under pandemic conditions participated in the longitudinal study over one academic term. We assessed intentions and behavior regarding six learning activities. Results indicated lower intentions in the middle of the term than in the beginning. Furthermore, we observed an intention-behavior gap. Regression analyses revealed that higher VOCO predicted a greater use of learning activities. However, they failed to predict the size of the intention–behavior gap. The findings highlight the relevance of psychology educators supporting students’ engagement, especially during the critical early stages of the academic term. Future research should explore other factors to explain individual differences in the intention–behavior gap.