Lecture 3: Achievement Motivation

Question 1

Motivation

Answer 1

• The direction and intensity of one’s effort

Question 2

Brief history: different approaches to motivation

Answer 2

• Trait = differs by person
• Situational = settings
• Interactional = person + env.

Question 3

Early studies of motivation in sport (Sorrentino & Sheppard, 1978)

Answer 3

• Group -> social approval vs. group -> social rejection
• Individual vs. team relay
• Measured time for swimming
• People high in social approval performed better in a group
  = interactionist view
• People high in social rejection performed better on own

Question 4

Building Motivation

Answer 4

Based on interactionist view:
1. Consider individual & situational factors
2. Ask about people’s motives = shared + individual
= sex & cultural differences
3. Knowing that you can influence M = adjust teaching env. to motives of group/person
= mind your own influence
= use behaviour modification techniques to change maladaptive motives

Question 5

Achievement Motivation (competitiveness)

Answer 5

• ‘Disposition to strive for satisfaction when making comparisons with some standard of excellence in the presence of evaluative others’ = choice of activity, persistence, effort
• > performance

Question 6

What determines achievement motivation?

Answer 6

Theories:

• Need achievement theory
• Attribution theory
• Achievement goal theory
• Competence motivation theory

Question 7

Need achievement theory

Answer 7

• Person = approach success
  = avoid failure
• Env = probability of success
  = value of success
• High achiever = seek pride, seek equal opponents
• Low achiever = avoid shame, seek absolute or no chance of success

Question 8

Achievement Goal Theory

Answer 8

• Definition of success may differ between person
  = comparising self with and defeating others -> outcome/ego goal orientation
  = improving relative to own past -> task/mastery goal orientation
• Task/mastery orientation associated with = strong work ethic
  = better persistence
  = optimal performance

Question 9

Achievement Goal Theory (part 2)

Answer 9

• Determinants of goal orientation: person = entity view (ability is fixed)
  = incremental view (ability can be changed through effort)
  Env = coaching style/motivational climate
  = training vs. competition
• Van de Pol et al (2012) study = survey observing ego & mastery orientation for competition + training
  = Results -> ego orientation higher in competition
  -> mastery orientation higher in training
  -> mastery orientation -> effort/enjoyment

Question 10

Achievement goal theory & need achievement theory

Answer 10

• Approach success & compare with self = mastery-approach
• Approach success & compare with others = outcome-approach
• Avoid failure & compare with self = mastery-failure
• Avoid failure & compare with others = outcome-failure
• Mastery-approach orientation associated with increased positive emotions & better performance

Question 11

Competence motivation theory

Answer 11

• People strive to feel worthy & competent -> positive feelings -> motivation
• Enhancing perceived competence and control increases motivation
• High achiever = has high perceived competence

Question 12

Attribution theory

Answer 12

• How we explain success + failure determines motivation for future performances
  1. Stability
  2. Locus of causality
  3. Control
• High achiever = success - stable factors
  = failure - unstable factors

Question 13

Developing motivation

Answer 13

Autonomous competence (mastery, before4) -> social comparison (ego, begins at 5) -> integrated (both, no typical age)

Question 14

Developing high achievers

Answer 14

1) Recognise = need achievement, goal-orientation, perceived competence, attribution style
2) Create ‘mastery-approach’ climate = emphasize task goals
3) Monitor & alter attributional feedback = success: ability + effort
= failure: avoid (stable) low-ability attributions
= no false attributions
4) Enhance perceptions of competence = task difficulty & informative feedback