Beyond averages: Situational lesson to lesson level interplay between relatedness and competence

Although relatedness and competence are central psychological needs for students' motivation and well-being, their moment-to-moment variation in classrooms remains underexplored. This study examined fluctuations in adolescents' experiences of relatedness and competence across a school week using intensive longitudinal data from 118 secondary school students (average of 21 responses per student). Multilevel dynamic structural equation models showed that most variance was situational, with 30–40% reflecting stable between-person differences. Subject-specific patterns emerged, as experiences differed across school subjects. Prior relatedness predicted both subsequent relatedness and competence, suggesting that social connection can foster academic confidence. Conversely, prior competence slightly reduced later relatedness satisfaction and increased relatedness frustration, indicating a potential trade-off with social engagement. Additionally, the number of peers per lesson predicted greater relatedness satisfaction and lower frustration. These findings underscore the value of capturing motivational dynamics at the situational level and tailoring support to both academic and social needs. Our study shows that students' feelings of social connection (relatedness) and confidence in their abilities (competence) can change from lesson to lesson. We found that when students felt more socially connected in one lesson, they tended to feel more confident in the next. Interestingly, feeling confident sometimes made students feel less socially connected later, especially for those students who usually felt well connected. These findings help us understand the everyday ups and downs of students' motivation and suggest that supporting both academic and social needs in the classroom is important. Schools and teachers can use this knowledge to better support students by creating learning environments that balance academic challenges with the opportunities for social connection. • Relatedness and competence vary considerably across daily classroom lessons • Prior relatedness satisfaction predicts later competence • Prior competence can decrease relatedness satisfaction and increase loneliness • Subject-specific patterns emerge in momentary motivational experiences • Findings underscore the value of modeling intraindividual motivational dynamics