Achievement and Motivation: A Social-Developmental Perspective

The basic theme of this book concerns the relation between motivation (why one does something) and achievement (how one performs on a variety of tasks and activities), particularly as they relate to educational settings. The issues are addressed from a social-developmental perspective. The book is organized into three sections. The development of intrinsic and extrinsic motivational orientations is addressed in the first section. Deci and Ryan offer their latest account of the distinction between the two orientations, emphasizing how the two motivational systems develop. The effects of motivational orientations on inter-personal interaction and on creativity are addressed in the two subsequent chapters. The second section focuses on the relation between motivation and the experience of competition. Three chapters address the development of competence, affect, and motivation from grade to school to junior high; the effects of competence information on intrinsic motivation; and the development of competence assessment processes. In the third section the relation between motivation and achievement is explored. Two chapters discuss the effect of extrinsic pressures on self-regulation, and on the relations among intrinsic and extrinsic motivation; performance, motivational style, and learned helplessness. Finally, the concepts of optimal degrees of pressure and performance, and of defensive behavior in the form of self-handicapping, are discussed in the last two chapters.