Some research suggests that university lecture attendance positively correlates with academic performance. Although there are several motivational pathways which may explain attendance, few studies have examined the psychosocial factors leading to student attendance intentions and behavior. Consequently, we evaluated via structural equation modeling (SEM) two prominent motivational theories to help explain lecture attendance: Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Undergraduates (N = 288) from two universities completed pre-semester motivation measurements and post-semester estimates of attendance. Student grades were also examined. SDT was not found to be an accurate model of attendance intentions or behavior. By contrast, TPB was found to be an adequate model to help explain attendance intentions and behavior. Lecture attendance did not significantly correlate with grades. If educators and students are committed to increasing lecture attendance rates, our findings suggest that the enhancement of perceived behavioral control, as well as optimistic intentions, may yield the greatest benefits with respect to students meeting their lecture attendance expectations.

一些研究表明，大学讲课出席率与学业成绩成正比。尽管有几种动机可以解释出勤的原因，但是很少有研究检查了导致学生出勤意图和行为的社会心理因素。因此，我们通过结构方程模型（SEM）评估了两种重要的动机理论来帮助解释演讲的出席率：自决理论（SDT）和计划行为理论（TPB）。大学生（Ñ = 288）来自两所大学的学生完成了学期前的动机测量和学期后的出勤率估算。还检查了学生成绩。未发现SDT是出勤意图或行为的准确模型。相比之下，TPB被认为是有助于解释出勤意图和行为的适当模型。上课人数与成绩没有显着相关。如果教育者和学生致力于提高上课率，我们的研究结果表明，对于满足学生上课期望的学生来说，增强行为感知控制以及乐观的意图可能会产生最大的收益。