Effect of Curiosity and Self-Esteem on Motivation
and Student Learning Result
Rajip Sidik and Disman Disman
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Setiabudi 229 street, Bandung, Indonesia
Keywords: Curiosity, Self-Esteem, Learning Motivation, Learning Outcomes.
Abstract: This research is driven by the decreasing of student learning outcomes in Public Senior High School Bandung
seen from the average of National Exam of academic year 2015/2016. This study aims to determine the effect
of curiosity and self-esteem on learning motivation and its implications on student learning outcomes on
economic subjects. The research method used is an explanatory survey. The population of XI Social Science
Class of Public senior high school in Bandung is 1,771 students, using random sampling technique and
proportional random sampling obtained by 326 students. Data analysis using path analysis. The results showed
that: curiosity and self-esteem in addition to the influence of learning motivation also affect student learning
outcomes while learning motivation does not affect student learning outcomes in the economic subjects.
Therefore, teachers while teaching in the class are expected to use a learning model that can lead to the
attitudes or curiosity of learners, for example, using a problem-solving learning model, Inquiry or group
investigation.
1 INTRODUCTION
Referring to the results of international surveys, the
quality of education in Indonesia is still ranked 64th
out of 120 countries, this data is reported from the
annual report of UNESCO Education for All Global
Monitoring Report 2012, while based on data
obtained from the education development index, EDI)
Indonesia ranks 69th out of 127 countries in 2011.
The high or low quality of human resources in
education can be seen from the high or low learning
outcomes. Learning outcomes point to learning
achievement, while student learning achievement is
an indicator of the extent and degree of student
behavior change (Hamalik, 2010).
Reality shows that student learning outcomes are
not always good and do not match what Coveted, as
seen in the average score of national examinations on
economic subjects of State Senior High School in
Bandung during the last three years experiencing
fluctuations. In the academic year 2014/2015 the
average value of national exam on economic subjects
increased and in the academic year 2015/2016, there
was a significant drop in the average score of national
examinations on economic subjects.
This condition indicates that the value of national
exam on economic subjects of State Senior High
School in Bandung is still low, which means that
students in following the learning process have not
been able to achieve the established competencies.
Several factors influence student's learning process
one of them is an internal factor that is learning
motivation.
Syah (2010) explains that motivational factors are
divided into two parts: intrinsic motivation and
extrinsic motivation. Yau Hon-keung, et al (2012)
explains that there are three factors that influence
one's motivation is curiosity, goal, and external
regulation. While Katz (in Zoabi, 2012) suggests that
there are two factors that affect one's motivation of
self-esteem and psychological need for achievement
and success. Of the factors that influence the
motivation, suspected factor curiosity and self-esteem
is a factor that affects motivation. Bandura (in Dahar,
2011) explains that every learning process related to
social learning occurs in several instances, one of
which is the motivation phase. One's motivation is
influenced by curiosity and self-esteem (Yau Hon-
Keung, et.al.2012; Katz (in Zoabi, 2012).
Berlyne (1954) suggests that curiosity causes an
increase in perception and curiosity is the main fruit
Sidik, R. and Disman, D.
Effect of Curiosity and Self-Esteem on Motivation and Student Learning Result.
In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Economic Education and Entrepreneurship (ICEEE 2017), pages 555-558
ISBN: 978-989-758-308-7
Copyright © 2017 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. All rights reserved
555

of knowledge. So it can be concluded that curiosity is
a very central thing in the development of thought and
knowledge so as to generate the motivation to learn
something high. Then Coopersmith (in Mruk 2006)
states that self-esteem is an individualized evaluation
and habits of self-regarded primarily about
acceptance or rejection and an indication of the
magnitude of individual beliefs in their abilities,
meanings, successes, and rewards. So it can be
concluded under the self-esteem becomes a factor that
can affect one's motivation through internal himself.
Therefore this research is aimed to know: Influence
of curiosity to motivation and result of student
learning; the influence of self-esteem on students'
learning motivation on economic subjects, and the
influence of learning motivation on student learning
outcomes
2 METHODS
Objects in this study are the results of learning,
curiosity, self-esteem, and motivation to learn.
Subjects in this study are students of class XI Social
Science State Senior High School in Bandung City
Year 2016/2017. The method used explanatory
survey. The population of 1,771 students, using
simple random sampling and proportional random
sampling technique, obtained a sample of 326
students. Data collection in the study was done by
Cuisinart, and data analysis using path analysis
technique.
3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
3.1 Research Result
3.1.1 Sub-structure 1 Effect of Curiosity and
Self-Esteem on Learning Motivation
Based on the result of data processing, we get the
regression coefficient model and Sub-structures 1
coefficient
X3 = 0,410X1 + 0,559X2 + 0,233 ei
Based on hypothesis test result, the coefficient
value of curiosity variable path to learning motivation
variable with t value counted 11,959 > T Table of
1.649 with a significance value of 0,000 < 0.05 then
Ho rejected and Ha accepted, meaning that the
coefficient of variable path curiosity to the variable of
learning motivation can be stated significant. So it can
be concluded that the variable curiosity affects the
motivation variable. Then, based on the hypothesis
test results also obtained the coefficient value of the
self-esteem variable path to the variable of learning
motivation with the value of t arithmetic of 16.299 >
T Table of 1.649 with a significance value of 0,000 <
0.05 then H0 rejected and Ha accepted, meaning that
the coefficient of self-esteem variable path to the
variable of learning motivation can be stated
significant. So it can be concluded that the variable
self-esteem effect on student motivation variable.
3.1.2 Sub-structure 2 the Effect of Curiosity,
Self-Esteem, and Motivation Learning
on Learning Outcomes
Based on the results of data processing, obtained a
model of regression coefficient and coefficient of
Sub-structure 2:
Y = 0.181X1-0,215X2 + 0,114X3 + 0,965ei
Based on hypothesis test result, the coefficient
value of curiosity variable path to learning result
variable with t count value 2,161 >T Table of 1.649
with a significance value of 0.031 < 0.05 then H0 is
rejected and Ha accepted, meaning that the
coefficient of variable path curiosity to learning result
variable can be stated significant. So it can be
concluded that the variable curiosity effect on student
learning outcomes on economic subjects.
Furthermore, the coefficient value of the self-
esteem variable path to the learning result variable
with the value of t arithmetic of │2.281│ > T Table
of 1.649 with a significance value of 0.023 < 0.05
then H0 is rejected and Ha accepted, meaning that the
coefficient of self-esteem variable path to learning
result variable can be stated significant. So it can be
concluded that the variable self-esteem effect on
student learning outcomes on economic subjects but
has a negative relationship.
It was concluded that the variable of learning
motivation had no effect on student result variable on
economic subjects.
3.1.3 Results in Sub-structure 2 Effect of
Curiosity and Self-Esteem on Learning
Outcomes after Trimming
Sub-structure 2 sub-structural analysis after trimming
was used to improve the influence model of curiosity
and self-esteem on the learning outcomes of students
of class XI social studies at State Senior High School
ICEEE 2017 - 2nd International Conference on Economic Education and Entrepreneurship
556

in Bandung. Based on the results of data processing,
obtained a model of regression coefficient and
coefficient of Sub-structure 2:
Y = 0.228X1-0,152X2 + 0,968ei
Based on hypothesis test result, the coefficient
value of curiosity variable path to learning result
variable with t value count 3,264 > T Table of 1.649
with a significance value of 0.001 < 0.05 then H0 is
rejected and Ha accepted, meaning that the
coefficient of variable path curiosity to learning result
variable can be stated significant. So it can be
concluded that the variable curiosity effect on student
learning outcomes on economic subjects.
Furthermore, also obtained the coefficient value
of self-esteem variable path to learning result variable
with t value counted │2.168│ > T Table of 1.649 with
a significance value of 0.031 < 0.05 then H0 is
rejected and Ha accepted, meaning that the
coefficient of self-esteem variable path to learning
result variable can be stated significant. So it can be
concluded that the variable self-esteem effect on
student learning outcomes on economic subjects but
has a negative relationship.
Based on data analysis of sub-structure model 1
and sub-structure model 2, it is known that direct and
indirect influence, as shown in Table 1.
Table 1: The decomposition of influence of intervals.
Influence
between
variable
Causal Influences
Total
Direct Indirect (by X3)
X
2
to Y -0,152
(0,559 x 0,114) =
0,064
-0,088
X
3
to Y 0,114 - 0,114
Based on Table 18 it is known that the direct effect
of X1 to X3 is 0.410, whereas for direct effect X2 to
X3 is 0,559. For X1 to Y its direct effect is 0.228
while its indirect effect is 0,047 so its total influence
is 0,275. For X2 to Y its direct effect is -0.152 while
its indirect effect is 0,064 so its total influence is -
0,088. For X3 to Y its direct effect is 0.114.
3.2 Discussion
The results of research and hypothesis testing known
that simultaneously independent variables affect the
dependent variable, this is indicated by the value of
Fcount of 531,169 and FTable 1,200 (with significant
level & alpha =0.05).Thus, since F count is greater
than F Table, it means has is accepted and H0 is
rejected. This shows that curiosity and self-esteem
influence simultaneously to student's learning
motivation on economic subjects.
Furthermore, from the research results can be
seen that the partial variable curiosity and self-esteem
influence on student learning motivation on economic
subjects. Curiosity is a curiosity that comes from
within a person. Curiosity encourages how one sees
or experiences something that will motivate them to
keep searching for information. As Zelick expresses
(in Yau Hon-ken et al., 2012) that curiosity is defined
as the intrinsic desire to know, to see, or to experience
something, which motivates. (Ardiyanto in
Puspitasari et al, 2015) reveals that curiosity will
make students become active thinkers, active
observers so that the situation will motivate students
to learn more deeply that they do not know and negate
the boredom to keep learning.
From the above expression confirms that with
good curiosity will also from a good learning
motivation. Based on the results of research and
hypothesis testing, it can be seen that the curiosity
owned by the students of class XI Social Studies in
state Senior High School as Bandung influence on
students' learning motivation on economic subjects
and have a positive relationship.
The results of this study are in line with research
conducted by Yau Hon-keung, et.al (2012) in
Hongkong Education stating that curiosity has a
significant relationship with intrinsic motivation.
Self-Esteem is a view or an assessment of oneself.
Self-Esteem has an excellent influence on one's
learning motivation. Harter (in Novarindhini &
Latifah, 2012) states that the element that can build a
child's self-esteem is a motivation, whether intrinsic
or extrinsic. More Novarindhini Latifah (2012)
reveals that the better one's self-esteem will form a
good motivation as well.
Based on the results of research and hypothesis
testing, it can be seen that self-esteem owned by
students of class XI Social Studies in state Senior
High School as Bandung influence on students'
learning motivation on economic subjects and have a
positive relationship. The results of this study are in
line with research conducted by Novariandhini
Latifah (2012) which states that self-esteem has a
Influence of
variables
Causal Influences Total
Direct Indirect
X
1
to X
3
0,410 - 0,410
X
2
to X
3
0,559 - 0,559
X
1
to Y 0,228
(0,410 x 0,114) =
0,047 0,275
Effect of Curiosity and Self-Esteem on Motivation and Student Learning Result
557

positive and significant relationship with students'
learning motivation. This is because respondents have
self-esteem and learning motivation in the medium
category.
From the results of this study, learning motivation
can be explained by curiosity and self-esteem
variables of 76.7% and the rest of 23.3% influenced
by other factors that are not in the research model.
Based on the results of research and hypothesis
testing known that simultaneously independent
variables affect the dependent variable, it is shown
with the value of F count of 3.897 and F Table 1,200
(with significant level & alpha = 0.05). Thus, since Fh
count is greater than F Table, it means Ha is accepted
and Ho is rejected.
This shows that curiosity, self-esteem, and
learning motivation simultaneously affect student
learning outcomes on economic subjects.
Furthermore from the research results can be seen that
the partial variable curiosity and self-esteem
influence on student learning outcomes on economic
subjects, while the motivation to learn does not affect
student learning outcomes on economic subjects.
Curiosity is one of the internal factors that can affect
the high-low student learning outcomes. Puspitasari,
et al (2015) revealed that with good curiosity, it will
have an impact on student learning outcomes.
4 CONCLUSIONS
Curiosity affects the students' motivation and learning
outcomes, the higher the curiosity and self-esteem the
more motivation and student learning outcomes will
be higher. While self-esteem has a positive effect on
learning motivation and negatively affect the learning
outcomes, meaning that the higher self-esteem the
lower the learning outcomes. Motivation to learn no
effect on student learning outcomes, meaning that
maximal learning motivation may not necessarily
reflect high learning outcomes. This can happen
because there are other factors that have a greater
effect on student learning outcomes.
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