Achievement Achievement Motivation and Motivation and

Attribution Theory.Attribution Theory.Mr. P. LeightonMr. P. Leighton

St Mary’s 6St Mary’s 6thth Form College. Form College.

After today’s session…After today’s session…

You will have a deep understanding of You will have a deep understanding of Achievement Motivation which includes…Achievement Motivation which includes…– NAF and NAch.NAF and NAch.– Competitiveness.Competitiveness.– Learned Helplessness.Learned Helplessness.

You should also understand Attribution You should also understand Attribution theory which includes…theory which includes…– Weiner’s Attribution Model.Weiner’s Attribution Model.– Attribution retraining.Attribution retraining.

Achievement Motivation.Achievement Motivation.

Links Personality with the degree of Links Personality with the degree of competitiveness shown by an individual.competitiveness shown by an individual.

How motivated are you to succeed?How motivated are you to succeed? Is achievement motivation linked with Is achievement motivation linked with

nature or nurture?nature or nurture? Murray (1938) indicated that it is only Murray (1938) indicated that it is only

natural for one to want to surpass another natural for one to want to surpass another (Nature).(Nature).

Bandura (1977) however, believed Bandura (1977) however, believed competitiveness is a product of learning competitiveness is a product of learning (Nurture).(Nurture).

Interactionists and Interactionists and Achievement Motivation.Achievement Motivation.

Atkinson and McClelland (1976) Atkinson and McClelland (1976) predicted that motivation is generated predicted that motivation is generated through a combination of through a combination of personalitypersonality and and situational factors, situational factors, These are… These are… – Probability of successProbability of success: The likelihood of : The likelihood of

success- when a task is easy or done before.success- when a task is easy or done before.– Incentive value of successIncentive value of success: The intrinsic : The intrinsic

value experienced after success. If the task value experienced after success. If the task is harder the greater incentive value…Why?is harder the greater incentive value…Why?

NAch and NaF …NAch and NaF …NNeed to eed to AAvoid void

FFailure.ailure.

(Low Nach/High Naf)(Low Nach/High Naf) The fear of failure The fear of failure

far outweighs the far outweighs the desire to succeed.desire to succeed.

Referred to as low Referred to as low achievers.achievers.

NNeed to eed to AchAchieve.ieve.

(Low Naf/High Nach)(Low Naf/High Nach) The desire of The desire of

success far success far outweighs the fear outweighs the fear of failure.of failure.

Referred to as high Referred to as high achievers.achievers.

Task (5mins)Task (5mins)

Turn to page 209 and copy down the Turn to page 209 and copy down the Diagram and table noting some of Diagram and table noting some of the characteristics of NAF and NAch the characteristics of NAF and NAch performers.performers.

Turn over and copy down the key Turn over and copy down the key terms.terms.

Atkinson and McClelland Atkinson and McClelland Continued…Continued…

The theory best predicted behavioural The theory best predicted behavioural responses in situations where there is a responses in situations where there is a 50/50 chance of success.50/50 chance of success.

This situation is most likely to trigger the This situation is most likely to trigger the motivation to achieve in performers with motivation to achieve in performers with high achievement traits.high achievement traits.

They display They display approach behavioursapproach behaviours and and mastery mastery orientation characteristics.orientation characteristics.

The The incentive valueincentive value will be high when the will be high when the chance of success is evenly balanced.chance of success is evenly balanced.

Q: What about those with low achievement Q: What about those with low achievement traits? Write a statement to describe this… traits? Write a statement to describe this…

What are the problems with What are the problems with Achievement Motivation Achievement Motivation

Theory?Theory? What is success to you?What is success to you? Success can be interpreted in several Success can be interpreted in several

different ways…different ways…– Success over other people: Ego Goal Success over other people: Ego Goal

Orientation- Beating someone in a race.Orientation- Beating someone in a race.– Personal Improvement: Task Orientation- Personal Improvement: Task Orientation-

performance and process goals i.e. Achieving a performance and process goals i.e. Achieving a personal best.personal best.

Achievement Motivation within sport Achievement Motivation within sport should be referred to as should be referred to as Competitiveness.Competitiveness.

Competitiveness.Competitiveness.

The motivation to achieve in sport.The motivation to achieve in sport. Gill and Deeter (1988) confirmed that Gill and Deeter (1988) confirmed that

Athletes are far more competitive Athletes are far more competitive than non athletes.than non athletes.

However, Athletes favoured However, Athletes favoured performance goals (Task Orientation) performance goals (Task Orientation) whereas the non-athletes preferred whereas the non-athletes preferred the importance of winning (Ego the importance of winning (Ego Orientation).Orientation).

Attribution Theory.Attribution Theory. What do you attribute your success to?What do you attribute your success to? Weiner (1971) saw that there were Weiner (1971) saw that there were

two areas which affect our attribution two areas which affect our attribution levels.levels.– The Locus of Causality- internal or The Locus of Causality- internal or

external factors. external factors. – Stability- Stable and un-changeable/ Stability- Stable and un-changeable/

Unstable is temporary i.e. Luck.Unstable is temporary i.e. Luck.– Control is also mentioned and is a key Control is also mentioned and is a key

factor in attribution retraining.factor in attribution retraining.

Weiner’s attribution model: Weiner’s attribution model: Reasons for Failure and Reasons for Failure and

Success.Success. Coaches should Coaches should

attribute failure to attribute failure to external factors- why?external factors- why?

External factors are External factors are changeable and not changeable and not under control of the under control of the performer: its not their performer: its not their fault!fault!

This helps maintain This helps maintain self-esteem and self-esteem and motivation i.e. “he motivation i.e. “he was lucky to beat was lucky to beat you”.you”.

Coaches should Coaches should attribute success to attribute success to internal factors- why?internal factors- why?

Internal factors mean Internal factors mean that the performer is that the performer is able to succeed able to succeed because of their because of their talents.talents.

This endorses future This endorses future expectations of high expectations of high achievement.achievement.

Work for you…Work for you…

Copy down notes from pages 213-Copy down notes from pages 213-215 paying attention to…215 paying attention to…– Attribution biasAttribution bias– Attribution retrainingAttribution retraining– Mastery orientationMastery orientation– Learned helplessnessLearned helplessness