The effects of reward and intrinsic motivation training on the creativity and self-esteem of 103 third graders were assessed. Creativity ratings revealed a main effect of reward and a marginally significant effect of intrinsic motivation training. Results were compared with earlier findings that intrinsic motivation training reverses the negative…

Proposes an operational definition of aspiration as any goal toward which an individual invests time, effort, or money; this definition focuses on the dynamics of personal choice, retains the field theory perspective of previous research, suggests new ways of quantifying aspiration levels, and permits comparisons of previously incommensurable…

This study examined behaviors reflecting mastery motivation in 17 young (ages 2 and 3) children with moderate and severe cognitive delays. Results supported the application of the mastery motivation model to this group of children who used mastery behaviors significantly more often than lower level exploratory behaviors. Use of mastery behaviors…

Studies the effects of the Protestant work ethic and performance feedback on intrinsic motivation in a sample of Taiwanese university students. Divides subjects into three groups according to work ethic measurement: high, intermediate, and low. Suggests students with a low work ethic exert more effort when challenged. (NL)

This study examined the effects of specific motivational dimensions and self-perceptions of a group of 47 urban black fourth and fifth grade students on attendance and academic achievement. Each student's responses to a measure of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and a self-perception inventory were compared to each other and to his or her…

The performance of 25 children with Down syndrome (DS) on delay of gratification tasks was compared with that of mental age-matched typically developing children. DS children were significantly less able to delay gratification on two of the three tasks. Results raise questions about using mental age as the method for matching children with DS and…

Asserts that research indicates that parents have a strong influence on the development of their children's achievement motivation. Reports a study of 180 Bophuthatswana adolescents to determine the effects of living in a boarding school or with family. Finds significantly higher achievement motivation scores for the adolescents living with…

An ongoing debate exists on the issue of volunteering and its political implications in West Germany. Critics of the social welfare system have a direct impact on volunteerism. The ruling coalition aims to limit public spending in the social services sector while the "grassroots" movement emphasizes the danger of state-provided services…

The American Field Service (AFS) has 3,500 volunteers throughout Australia. Local chapters recruit potential host families and participants. Host families are recruited actively and selectively while volunteers are recruited largely through AFS presentations at schools, through friends, and by returning volunteers. Due to a high level of demand…

Reports on a study of competition, motivation, and performance among 60 adolescents in India. Finds that direct competition with another person led to higher levels of immediate performance. Also finds that indirect competition against a pre-set standard resulted in greater intrinsic motivation. (CFR)

Volunteerism in Jamaica refers to voluntary work through organized public bodies and operates at two levels: (1) organized and formal; (2) non-organized and informal. The first group is made up of organized interest groups or community based groups, while those groups attract greater numbers of volunteers, they also have a higher turnover. The…

Provides advice, models, and information concerning time management for higher education geography students. Reiterates the need for personal planning and scheduling. Addresses such issues as deadlines, reading time, field classes, work space, leisure time, and dissertations. Includes eight sample charts and schedules. (MJP)

Briefly reviews Albert Bandura's Self-Efficacy Performance Model (ability to perform a task is influenced by an individual's belief in their capability). Tests this model with a sample of 776 university employees and computer-related knowledge and skills. Results supported Bandura's thesis. Includes statistical tables and a discussion of related…

Compares the effects of positive goal interdependence and positive resource interdependence on individual performance in teamwork and taskwork situations. Although early performance revealed difficulties with the interdependent nature of the work, performance improved as the students adapted their skills. Briefly discusses a number of variables…

This study explored how motivational and achievement factors interact and affect persistence in minority undergraduate engineering students. Study participants were 38 entering Mexican and African American college students in an engineering program at a large, southwestern university in the Fall of 1990. Each student was assigned to a peer…