This study focuses on the differential effects of motivations and attitudes on Critical Thinking and Self-Regulation. Two different samples of Psychology students of Open Universiteit Nederland have been studied. The first sample is composed of students, confronted with an integrated, research-based teaching and learning design; the second sample is composed of students, exposed to classic service courses in statistics and research methods. Results reveal that motivations significantly affect Critical Thinking and Self-Regulation and that motivations and attitudes affect learning processes and achievement in their own characteristic way. Moreover the crucial role of an integrated teaching and learning design as a significant contributor to optimal motivations, more favourable attitudes and more adequate learning strategies for studying statistics and research methods has been endorsed.