The Developmental Course of Achievement Motivation

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the need-based approach for the developmental course of achievement motivation. This chapter examines the development of achievement motivation from a protracted perspective, overtime, and focuses in particular on the positive, affective elements of motivation—the enjoyment of intellectual discovery; pride in a job well done. To achieve the developmental viewpoint, researchers employ a retrospective methodology in which college students recalled the events and experiences that, in hindsight. The purpose of this chapter is to explore the nature of intrinsic motivation and especially its relationship to the various extrinsic rewards that dominate classroom life, including grades, praise, and gold stars. The present developmental inquiries are nested within a broader set of interlocking questions, all of which were triggered by a puzzling observation that formed the original impetus for this entire undertaking. The chapter concludes that the goal is best served when teachers and students become allies, not adversaries, with teachers acting as mentors and resources for students as they prepare for the future.

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