Personality, self-regulated learning and academic achievement. A theoretical approach

Abstract This paper presents a theoretical perspective on the relationship between personality and self-regulated learning, by trying to study deeper the understanding of the relationship between the two constructs, based on the results of previous studies. Given the fact that the literature on the relationship between personality traits and the use of self-regulated learning strategies in the school environment is quite limited, we want to enrich the literature on this topic by summarizing a few relevant research results in this field. This paper includes a theoretical approach of the personality and self-regulated learning, by presenting their specifics and an analysis of the relationships between them, by synthesizing the results of a series of studies that have studied this relationship. The analyzed studies present various results, but most of them claim that personality traits represent important predictors of self-regulated learning and academic results. The results of the analyzed studies support especially the importance of conscientiousness as a predictor of self-regulated learning, being considered by some authors the most important component of personality. However, some studies have also identified positive relationships between extraversion, openness, neuroticism and agreeableness, and the use of self-directed learning strategies.