What are the factors that affect students’ interest in a subject?
Individual interest in a subject can be defined as a relatively stable and enduring personal emotion
comprising affective and behavioral reactions to events in the regular subject lessons at school.
Factors affecting students’ individual interest in a subject I think are:
1)situational influences in the subject
There are particular situations or concepts or examples given by the teacher that influence
the way we think about the subject and these tiny influences are remembered for a long time
and affects our interest in the subject, we may even forget the basics of the subject but these
situational influences we don’t.
2)individual interest in the subject
even though these influences make the subject fun and non-boring the individual interest
plays a key role in the way he or she studies or explores the subject in a deeper way.
Even if there aren’t any situational influences individual interest alone can increase the
interest of the individual in the subject.
3)Grades
If we are getting good grades in a particular subject automatically our interest in the subject
increases this is also known as reward principle in psychology . not only the grades but the
praise our teachers give if we answer their questions also increases the interest to study x
praise our teachers give if we answer their questions also increases the interest to study
more and embrace the subject.
4)Teaching methods and the Teacher
A psychological study has shown that teaching in the student preferred is not a better option
rather it depends on the subject being taught and the teacher should teach the best way that
works for the subject, the teacher can also cultivate interest in the student.
5) Environment and friend circle
The environment a student is in and his friend circle may also influence the interest in
A subject although not a particular but studies collectively. Of course, it is a minor factor but
may be problematic sometimes and may play a key role sometimes.
The strongest factor affecting students’ individual interest in the subject was science self-concept,
followed by individual interest in the subject and situational influences in the subject. Grade level and
gender were found to be nonsignificant factors. These findings suggest that teachers should pay
special attention to the association between academic self-concept and interest if they want to
motivate students to learn the subject better.