Emotional and motivational factors of satisfaction with university education

The results of empirical study of emotional and motivational factors of satisfaction with university education are represented. It should be mentioned, that satisfaction with university education is explained by influence of many factors and cannot be reduced to one. Nevertheless, it is possible to highlight the most important components. They are attitudes toward various aspects of university educational process and surrounding people, emotional states, motives for choosing the university and future profession. 350 students took part in the research. We divided them into four groups: satisfied and dissatisfied with university education; satisfied and dissatisfied with future profession. The following methods were used: questionnaire that identifies various aspects of student satisfaction with university education (developed by the author), and Luscher Color Test with using of Color Association Test; multi-way tables analysis and comparative study. We have found that the main factors of satisfaction with education are conscious choice of university and friendly interpersonal relationships. Dominance of such motives for choosing university as possibility of getting high-quality education and required profession is common for satisfied with university education students, while for dissatisfied with education students such reasons as advice of friends or relatives and high rating and prestige of the university are typical. In other words, satisfied students have the purpose of education, while dissatisfied ones rely on external factors. Friendly interpersonal relationships facilitate socio-psychological adaptation to the university and indirectly affect the satisfaction with educational process. In turn, the nature of interpersonal relationships is determined by psychological characteristics of student's personality. Satisfied with university education and future profession individuals are normal balanced and free of conflicts, while for dissatisfied ones indifference, renunciation, negation, anxiety, stress and frustration are typical. Presence of such negative states may facilitate dissatisfaction with education, but education is just one of the aspects, but not the main, that correlates with such states. These negative states are usual for them. Frustration in interpersonal relationships is usually the key reason of stress. Knowing the possible causes of students' dissatisfaction with education, we can eliminate negative factors and thereby improve level of psychological well-being, motivation to study and satisfaction with educational process. For example, it is worth paying more attention to entrants' career guidance, drawing their attention to importance of making conscious choices of university and future profession. Also it is necessary to promote friendly environment, encourage establishment of friendly interpersonal relationships among students and between students and teaching staff.

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