This booklet synthesizes principles of motivation that have emerged from research examining the effect of motivational practices on school learning. It addresses achievement motivation, intrinsic motivation, goal orientation, and the effect of teacher practices on the promotion of motivational beliefs, motivation strategies, and willpower. It also…

The effects of working in groups (WIG), goal-setting, and a control condition on self-regulated performance were compared for 126 college students (prospective teachers at high, middle, and low self-efficacy levels). A strong interaction between performance condition and individual self-efficacy level surfaced. WIG only increased performance of…

Three investigations examined the contributions of a history of choosing attitudinally relevant situations to attitude-behavior relations. Results point to an interrelated set of mechanisms, such as behavior, by which situational choice is linked to attitude-behavior relations. By choosing attitudinally relevant situations, individuals increase…

An attempt was made to build a structural model of the relationships over time among intrinsic motivation, self-efficacy, and self-regulated learning. Structural equation modeling using the LISREL computer program was used. The presented model put the motivational constructs of intrinsic motivation and self-efficacy as temporally preceding…

The relationship between the nonspecific factors of therapeutic alliance and motivation with outcome has been demonstrated across treatment modalities, and specifically in the treatment of alcohol dependence. The present study was designed to evaluate the association of these factors with treatment outcome in a preliminary sample of problem…

Traces a program of research on students' self-regulation of their academic and health functioning from initial operational definitions to training and intervention studies. This body of evidence has shown that students' use of self-regulatory processes, such as learning strategies, goal setting, self-monitoring, and self-efficacy beliefs, predict…

Summarizes 35 years of empirical research on goal-setting theory, describing core findings of the theory, mechanisms by which goals operate, moderators of goal effects, the relation of goals and satisfaction, and the role of goals as mediators of incentives. Explains the external validity and practical significance of goal setting theory,…

Finds that those undergraduate students who need to improve their performance the most were least likely to seek feedback and were also lower in self-esteem and self-efficacy. (SR)

The development of reflective processes and the role of self-reflection in learning are examined. It is suggested that analysis of levels of conceptions or psychological processes through the phenomenographic method may clarify the development of metacognitive beliefs. Learning to use metacognitive knowledge and training reflective skills are…

The authors examined how 2 types of goal setting (process vs. outcome), self-evaluation (presence vs. absence), and organizational signals (presence vs. absence) affected student ability to perform a set of procedural skills, namely animating slides created via presentation software. They also examined how these variables influenced a variety of…

A study examined motivation factors related to participants' level of development in outdoor adventure recreation pursuits. A survey was completed by 164 undergraduate recreation majors from separate, but similar, sections of a required 13-day outdoor education practicum. Respondents rated fun and enjoyment as their most important motive for…

This study examined the relationship between ego-oriented or task-oriented motivation on one hand and subjective well-being and perceived ability on the other. Undergraduate (N=124) and graduate (N=212) students at Purdue University responded to a questionnaire by listing up to 10 personal projects and rating the 2 most important ones with respect…

A study examined the effect of adventure programs on participants' self-efficacy immediately following an adventure program experience and whether increased self-efficacy transferred to the participants' daily lives after the adventure experience. Sixty-eight participants aged 18-29 in a series of 21-day Outward Bound courses were given a pretest…

Relates findings from a review of the literature on six academic motivational constructs studied in traditional environments to online education concepts. Examines self-efficacy, locus of control, attributions, goal orientation, intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation, and self-regulation to identify methods for ensuring student success in online…

This study examined the effects of goals--such as denoting learning and performance outcomes--and self-evaluation on the acquisition of computer skills, efficacy in performing computer tasks, perception of competence for the use of self-regulatory strategies, and frequency of strategy use while learning computer skills. Subjects were 44 college…