Abstract
Three field experiments with high school and college students tested the self-determination theory hypotheses that intrinsic (vs. extrinsic) goals and autonomy-supportive (vs. controlling) learning climates would improve students' learning, performance, and persistence. The learning of text material or physical exercises was framed in terms of intrinsic (community, personal growth, health) versus extrinsic (money, image) goals, which were presented in an autonomy-supportive versus controlling manner. Analyses of variance confirmed that both experimentally manipulated variables yielded main effects on depth of processing, test performance, and persistence (all ps <.001), and an interaction resulted in synergistically high deep processing and test performance (but not persistence) when both intrinsic goals and autonomy support were present. Effects were significantly mediated by autonomous motivation.
Keywords
PsychologySelf-determination theoryPersistence (discontinuity)Intrinsic motivationAutonomyGoal theorySocial psychologyTest (biology)Goal orientationCognitive evaluation theoryDevelopmental psychologyEcology
MeSH Terms
AdolescentAdultFemaleGoalsHumansLearningMaleMotivationPersonal AutonomySurveys and Questionnaires
Affiliated Institutions
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Publication Info
- Year
- 2004
- Type
- article
- Volume
- 87
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 246-260
- Citations
- 1680
- Access
- Closed
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Cite This
Maarten Vansteenkiste,
Joke Simons,
Willy Lens
et al.
(2004).
Motivating Learning, Performance, and Persistence: The Synergistic Effects of Intrinsic Goal Contents and Autonomy-Supportive Contexts..
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
, 87
(2)
, 246-260.
https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.87.2.246
Identifiers
- DOI
- 10.1037/0022-3514.87.2.246
- PMID
- 15301630