Personality regulation of students’ cognitive states during sports and educational activities

The article is devoted to the study of cognitive mental states and personality properties relationship during educational activities. In practical terms, the most important task in the field of educational psychology is to develop methods for updating and regulation of cognitive states. The study of cognitive states carried out in various forms of educational activity: in an ordinary situation (a lecture) and in a tense situation of training (an exam). N = 90, 1-st year students at the Kazan Federal University. During the research used different questionnaires to diagnose the personality traits and the intensity of students’ cognitive states, such as interest, reflection, concentration, mental stress etc. The data analysis included frequency analysis, the polar group method and the MANOVA method. Revealed that in an everyday situation of educational activity (lecture) the most often experienced states are thoughtfulness, interest and concentration, while in a tense situation of an exam - mental stress, doubt and concentration. In everyday situations, a state of thoughtfulness is observed in individuals with high Conscientiousness, and prevails in friendly, open-minded and emotionally stable students with a focus on the task. During the exam students with high activity, extraversion, and focus on the task experience the state of mental stress. Results of this research will find application in educational systems increasing the effectiveness of educational, scientific and creative activities, through the updating of students’ positive cognitive states. Cognitive states stimulate and regulate cognitive activity, performing the function of development of cognitive processes and intellectual abilities. The influence of personality properties on cognitive states is mediated by both the intensity of educational activity and the interaction of the personality traits.