Personal Orientations Related to Achievement Motivation: A Study of High and Low Achievers in the St. Thomas/st. John, Virgin Islands School District (Affects, Elementary)
George, Valerie King
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Permalink
https://hdl.handle.net/2142/68951
Description
Title
Personal Orientations Related to Achievement Motivation: A Study of High and Low Achievers in the St. Thomas/st. John, Virgin Islands School District (Affects, Elementary)
Author(s)
George, Valerie King
Issue Date
1984
Department of Study
Education
Discipline
Education
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Educat.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
Education, Educational Psychology
Abstract
The purpose of the study was to determine whether there were significant differences between the personal orientations toward motivational factors of achievement for high and low achievers within the St. Thomas/St. John, Virgin Islands school district.
One hundred seventy-two subjects (83 high achievers and 89 low achievers) participated in the study. Personal orientation indices consisted of an Attitude Inventory and Controlled Diaries. The Attitude Inventory was comprised of four subscales measuring the following variables: internal versus external locus of control, perferences for challenging versus risk-avoidance tasks, preferences for individually dominated versus interpersonally equal situations, and preferences for open versus traditional classroom settings. The Controlled Diaries measured pupils' interests as indicated through their involvement in out-of-school activities.
Personal orientation patterns revealed significant differences between high and low achievers for all the attitude inventory subscales. High achievers were characterized by internal locus of control. Both high and low achievers preferred challenging tasks. Low achievers were more oriented towards individually dominated situations than high achievers. High achievers were more oriented towards interpersonally equal situations than low achievers. High achievers expressed a preference for a combination of open and traditional classroom settings, and low achievers expressed a preference for traditionally oriented classroom settings. Personal orientation characteristics for the controlled diaries revealed significant differences between the mean percentages of reported out-of-school activities for both groups.
While the results are indicative of significant differences between the personal orientations of high and low achievers, they are by no means conclusive. Future studies should focus on relationships between high and low achiever personal orientations and socio-cultural factors such as environmental conditions in the home and school, norms and expectations, socioeconomic status, child-rearing practices and birth order. It is believed that each of these studies will yield pertinent information regarding unique and interactive influences on significant differences between the personal orientations of high and low achievers.
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