Self-regulation of Primary and Secondary Control in Achievement Settings: a Process Model

In the dual-process models of Rothbaum, Weisz, and Snyder (1982) and Heckhausen and Schulz (1995), the self-regulatory capacity to alternate between attempts to directly change (primary control) and psychologically adjust to one’s environment (secondary control) in congruence with performance represents one of its most important yet unexplored theoretical tenets. The present longitudinal study (n = 568) explored individuals’ perceived and demonstrated ability to shift between primary and secondary control in congruence with academic performance outcomes. Confirmatory analyses examining causal effects were evaluated using cross-lagged and mediational structural equation models. Results showed that individuals shift toward primary control after success and toward secondary control following failure, and supported the predictive validity of self-report measures for assessing one’s capacity for congruent emphasis shifts. In sum, these findings highlight the significance of perceptions and behavior concerning the self-regulatory process of adaptively shifting between primary and secondary control in achievement settings.