Social support, attachment representations and academic risk taking in higher education

Academic risk taking (ART) denotes a special type of student engagement, which is characterized by uncertainty concerning the correctness of the contribution and the outcome. Although ART has been related to better learning, students often avoid taking academic risks. In this study, we ask whether the perception of social support from university teachers and fellow students is associated with students’ ART. Furthermore, associations with students’ attachment representations are examined. The sample consists of students in Germany, who are enrolled in a university or a university of applied sciences program. We conduct a cross-sectional study that is based on data collected in an online survey. ART is the dependent variable. Perceived social support and attachment representations are the independent variables.