Motivation and gifted students: Implications of theory and research

An analysis of contemporary motivation theories reveals implications for gifted and talented students. The expectancy-value framework, intrinsic-extrinsic motivation theories, goal orientations, self-efficacy and other self-perceptions, and attribution theory are described and discussed with respect to implications for the psychology and education of gifted and talented students. Illustrative empirical research on motivation and gifted students is presented, and a model of classroom motivation factors is provided as a practical structure within which to consider instructional practices with this population. C 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. One of the most intriguing, and often frustrating, puzzles for those who study individuals with great intellectual and creative promise is why some bright students never reach the level of success of which they seem so capable. More than half a century ago, David McClelland and his colleagues published a now-classic study of this problem, Talent and Society (McClelland, Baldwin, Bronfenbrenner, & Strodtbeck, 1958). They suggested that the solution to this puzzle could be found by looking at a range of nonintellective factors, with particular attention to achievement motivation. One recent definition of motivation is “the process whereby goal-directed activity is instigated andsustained”(Schunk,Pintrich,&Meece,2008,p.4).Inotherwords,motivationincludeschoosing

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