Achievement motives and emotional processes in children during problem-solving: Two experimental studies of their relation to performance in different achievement goal conditions

In two studies, the influence of key emotional and motivational factors on performance in different achievement goal-type situations is examined. In study 1, based on 314 sixth-graders, two types of goal situations were induced; performance and mastery. The goals were examined with respect to important antecedents (e.g., motive dispositions) and several consequences (e.g., performance, satisfaction, pleasant affect, worry, and emotionality). The results showed that the motive to achieve success (Ms) produced positive affects, satisfaction, and increased performance, whereas the motive to avoid failure (Mf) produced worries and performance reduction. In study 2, based on 331 sixth-graders, three types of goal situations were induced; performance–approach, performance–avoidance, and mastery goals. The findings revealed that the most important single factors positively related to performance were Ms and mastery–goal situation. In addition, high Ms pupils performed better under mastery condition than under performance condition. Finally, avoidance-goal situation accentuate the negative effects of high Mf on performance

Some Factors Influencing Perceived Goal Distance in Time: A Preliminary Check

Perceived goal distance in time (PgD) is assumed to be influenced by (a) physical distance in time, (b) the individual's future-time orientation (FTO), (c) perceived intrinsic instrumentality of activity (PiI), and (d) the importance of the goal. The results, based on pupils (159 boys and 151 girls) in Grades 7, 8, and 9, showed that pupils high in future-time orientation (FTO) and perceived intrinsic instrumentality of activity (PiI), perceived any temporal distance (PgD) as shorter than those who were low in these variables. However, the most significant determinant of perceived goal distance in time (PgD), in addition to physical distance in time, was the importance of the future goal; a very important goal being perceived as much closer than an unimportant goal. </jats:p

Sex Differences in the Relationship between Test Anxiety and School Performance

The present study was designed to examine the relationship between test anxiety and school performance in light of the achievement motivation theory. The reasoning was based on the following assumptions: (a) subjective probability of failure (Pt) in school work is determined by the individual's knowledge of his own relative ability; (b) Pt is inversely related to the pupil's level of ability; (c) girls overestimate their Pt; (d) girls have a smaller spread in Pt than have boys. Taking these assumptions into account implied that in a traditional classroom in which ability is heterogeneous, only boys of moderate ability should have their test anxiety (Mt) strongly aroused and the resulting interference should deteriorate their performance. Neither the very bright nor the very dull boys should have their test anxiety (Mt) much aroused, and it should have no negative effects on their performance regardless of its strength. Further, girls of high ability should have their test anxiety (Mt) strongly aroused, while moderate and especially low ability girls should not have their Mt much aroused. The pattern of the results was mostly in accordance with the reasoning underlying these predictions. </jats:p

Future-Time Gradients for Performance in Test Anxious Individuals

It was assumed that highly anxious individuals should have a negative goal gradient for future performance and that this negative goal gradient should be reduced as the test-anxiety dispositions of the individuals decreased. The results for 392 grade school (6th) students showed, as expected, that (a) the highly anxious individuals ( n = 55) tended to decrease the number of problems solved correctly as a future goal (task) approached in time and that (b) the slopes of the negative goal gradients decreased as the test-anxiety dispositions decreased. When number of problems attempted was the measure of performance (c) there was a tendency for Ss of low anxiety ( n = 101) to increase their performance as the goal approached. </jats:p

Worry and Emotionality Components of Test Anxiety in Relation to Situational and Personality Determinants

The amount of Worry and Emotionality components among pupils in Grade 6 with different motivational and cognitive characteristics was examined. A number of interactions indicated that the influence of both cognitive factors, i.e., ability and Future Time Orientation, and motivational factors, i.e., the achievement motives, on amount of Worry and Emotionality increased significantly as the perceived instrumentality (importance) of the school activity increased. Since it is the worry component which normally reduces quality of performance, one way to reduce worries at school for the pupils of low ability, the failure-oriented (highly anxious) pupils, the low future time-oriented pupils, and the girls, is to reduce the importance of the activity. </jats:p

Motivation and Temporal Distance: Effect on Cognitive and Affective Manifestations

The implications of temporal distance on motivation-related concepts were examined. The results of an experiment, based on 585 Grade 6 students, indicated that both positive (approach) and negative (avoidance) motivation increased as the future goal or event approached in time. This increase in approach and avoidance motivation influenced the performance of the pupils differently. For pupils with success orientation, the performance increased. For pupils with failure orientation, the performance remained about the same. </jats:p

Future Time Orientation and Temperament: Exploration of Their Relationship to Primary and Secondary Psychopathy

The present study combines Lykken's theory about the role of reward sensitivity and punishment insensitivity in the development of antisocial behavior with Gjesme's theory of future time orientation. 158 adolescents comprised a target group of 79 adolescents who had defined behavioral problems and a matched referential group of 79 adolescents who did not have notable behavioral problems. The results suggest that attributes related to primary psychopathy are associated with a relatively weak or hyporeactive behavioral inhibition system, behavioral approach reactivity, and low future time orientation. Moreover, attributes related to secondary psychopathy are related to an overly sensitive (hyper-reactive) behavioral approach system and low future time orientation. Robust positive associations for behavioral approach reactivity and low future time orientation with primary and secondary psychopathy suggest that high behavioral approach/low future time orientation may represent a core feature common to the two factors of psychopathy. </jats:p