The area "Motivational Variables and Personality Aspects Across the Life Course" focuses on social and personality psychological mechanisms in educational trajectories. This includes the assessment of personality traits and learning motivations, school/academic self-concept of pupils and students, self-assessed self-esteem, general interest orientations, and various aspects of social competence.

The considered constructs are used in different explanatory approaches of educational research and can also be understood as a theoretical-conceptual bridge between rather social-structural determinants and individual competence developments. Questions about the influence of motivational aspects as well as personality traits on educational decisions or educational and further education trajectories, and whether and to what extent educational experiences show reverse effects on these traits, can be addressed by measuring the same individuals at different points in time.