Since a new construct, assumed competence based on undervaluing others, was proposed by Hayamizu et al. (2003), the relationship between the construct and emotions has been examined. In the present study, we aimed at making clear how assumed competence affected beliefs about learning and learning motivation, with the data from 398 senior high school students. By combining the tendency to undervalue others and level of self-esteem, we classified the participants into four competence types: omnipotence, self-esteem, assumption, and atrophy. The participants also completed scales of beliefs about learning and learning motivation. Main results were as follows: Assumed competence correlated negatively with emphasis on the amount of studying, and those classified as assumption type tended to have higher external and introjected motivation and lower identified and intrinsic motivation than self-esteem type, whereas those of atrophy type had generally lower motivation than other types.
Key words: assumed competence, beliefs about learning, learning motivation