Contributions of Executive Function and Cognitive Intrinsic Motivation to University Students’ Reading Comprehension

Abstract Reading comprehension is an incredibly complex, purposeful activity that involves simultaneous orchestration and integration of multiple processes. However, dominant perspectives suggest that two clusters of skills, word reading and language comprehension, account for successful reading. Such two‐factor models are problematic because they do not easily account for complexities in reading comprehension processes or for contributions to reading comprehension of other individual difference variables related to the purposeful nature of reading, such as executive functions ( EF s) and intrinsic motivation. Further, simple models may lead to oversimplification of research questions, curricula, and instructional practices, causing researchers and educators to miss important contributors to reading comprehension necessary for students to develop into skilled readers. In this study, the authors assessed the unique contributions of EF s, both domain‐general and reading‐specific, and cognitive intrinsic motivation (i.e., the desire to engage in effortful cognitive activities) to reading comprehension in 122 university students beyond language comprehension and word‐reading skills. Findings confirm unique contributions of cognitive intrinsic motivation and reading‐specific EF to students’ reading comprehension beyond established predictors and domain‐general EF s. Findings also suggest complexities, such as impacts of language comprehension on word reading, as well as impacts of cognitive intrinsic motivation on both language and reading comprehension, that should be considered in theory and practice. Finally, because reading‐specific EF contributed to reading comprehension directly and indirectly beyond controls, these findings underscore the importance of applying knowledge of EF to specific reading processes to better support students who struggle to understand text.