Fear of success in a group of high school students (N=127) was studied, with research findings supporting the following generalizations: (1) high school students with an intermediate level of self-esteem have greater fear of success than those with high and low levels of self-esteem; (2) high school students with BSRI (Bem Sex Role Inventory)…

The more that educators understand about student motivation, the better that teachers can tailor their pedagogy to prepare students for the job market. The purpose of this study was to acquire a more complete understanding of what drives secondary students and how student motivation and development relate to effective teaching. It is hoped that an…

Guidelines regarding self-efficacy assessment are highlighted in the first section of this paper. In the second section, the issue of specificity versus generality of measurement is clarified. And last, preliminary results of a study of eighth graders (n=172) are presented which demonstrate that: (1) the optimal level of specificity of any…

To provide opportunities for self-direction, middle-school educators must offer an orchestrated development plan aimed at the acquisition of attitudes and skills that allow and promote self-direction. Self-direction and self-help are becoming increasingly necessary as "high-tec" cultures move forward. Self-directed learners exhibit…

SUPERSTARS III is a K-8 program designed as an enrichment opportunity for self-directed learners in mathematics. The basic purpose of SUPERSTARS III is to provide the extra challenge that self-motivated students need in mathematics and to do so in a structured, long-term program that does not impinge on the normal classroom routine or the…

SUPERSTARS III is a K-8 program designed as an enrichment opportunity for self-directed learners in mathematics. The basic purpose of SUPERSTARS III is to provide the extra challenge that self-motivated students need in mathematics and to do so in a structured, long-term program that does not impinge on the normal classroom routine or the…

Two studies of influences on self-regulated performance were conducted. The purpose of the first was to determine if the level of performance of college students would be higher if the allowable length of the assignment was greater or smaller. Subjects were 126 education majors at a large state university participating in an extra-credit program…

Using a critical-career events framework to describe the socialization process in academe, a model was developed which relates how the experiencing of critical-career events affects individuals' judgments of their research self-efficacy which, in turn, affects their scholarly productivity. A sample of 206 full-time associate professors from 7…

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…

Voluntary organizations have filled the gap to provide social and community services in Ecuador in areas where government or profit-making agencies were absent. There was a proliferation of activities for the poorest sector of society in response to government neglect. Activities focused on economic and social progress through community…

This chapter furthers the discussion of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation by contending that learning and studying are multidetermined and that intrinsic motivation is typically accompanied by extrinsic motivation. The chapter begins with a discussion of the concept of future time perspective as a cognitive-motivational personality…

Analysis of 5 waves of panel data on over 2,000 males from 10th grade to 5 years after high school found that self-esteem was quite stable over time and was related to shared decision making in the family and intrinsic motivation in school. Findings were mixed with respect to the work sphere. Contains 131 references. (SV)

Talented preservice teachers were surveyed to determine their reasons for entry, work perceptions, and future career plans. Results indicated students entered the profession mainly for altruistic reasons and had fairly realistic views of working conditions. Many planned to remain only if they derived the expected satisfaction from working with…

A total of 371 adults between 19 and 64 years of age wrote down their goals, concerns, and notions of when their goals would be realized. Goals and concerns reflected the developmental tasks of the adult's particular age. (LB)

Validity of the Personal Growth Initiative Scale (PGIS) is tested by considering relations among the PGIS, ways of growing, gender-role orientation, and psychological well-being. Individuals' (N=169) ability to distinguish ways of growing in their lives that are in awareness, intentional, or both is related to gender-role orientation. (Author/EMK)