This book discusses research and theory on how motivation changes as children progress through school, gender differences in motivation, and motivational differences as an aspect of ethnicity. Motivation is discussed within the context of school achievement as well as athletic and musical performance. Key Features * Coverage of the major theories and constructs in the motivation field * Focus on developmental issues across the elementary and secondary school period * Discussion of instructional and theoretical issues regarding motivation * Consideration of gender and ethnic differences in motivation

The Anatomy of Achievement Motivation focuses on the study of individual differences in motivations, including the determinants of specific motives and methods of assessing motive strength. The book first offers information on content analysis and evaluative dispositions, as well as the theory of thematic apperception method, experimental method, and sociocultural frames of references and their change over historical time. The manuscript then highlights the important dimensions of experience and conflict. The publication takes a look at the general structure of goals and performance and valence and motive arousal, including psychic distance and discrepancy between a present and a future state. The book then examines goal setting and level of aspiration, performance period, and the origin and development of achievement motivation. The manuscript is a dependable reference for psychologists and readers interested in the facets of achievement motivation.

Achievement and Motivation was originally published in 1993. It provides a comprehensive review of research conducted on the topic in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Most particularly, it focuses on the research of those in the field who tackle the issue from a social-developmental perspective.

All children possess a motive to ‘master’ the various tasks and problems that they face. Without mastery motivation, it is doubtful whether children would make progress in cognitive, social communicative and other domains. Although all children possess this motivation, it will vary according to inherited dispositions and to environmental experiences. This makes mastery motivation a key factor in understanding later developmental and educational achievement. Concentrating on pre-school children, this volume, originally published in 1993, brought together current research work and thinking concerned with mastery motivation at the time. New ideas are presented about the way mastery is related to other developmental processes such as self-concepts and attention. There are discussions and findings about innovations in the methods of assessing mastery. Another important theme present in this volume, is the way in which features of social interaction, attachment and the environment influence the development of mastery motivation. With a broad range of international contributors, this title will still be of interest to developmental psychologists and educationalists, and advance students in these fields.

Examines the conditions under which motives to achieve are fostered in children. The papers included in this volume reflect the major traditions of research in the field and bring together a set of studies for achieving a better understanding of the ways in which achievement-related personality characteristics develop and function in evaluative or competitive situations.

This book discusses research and theory on how motivation changes as children progress through school, gender differences in motivation, and motivational differences as an aspect of ethnicity. Motivation is discussed within the context of school achievement as well as athletic and musical performance.Key Features* Coverage of the major theories and constructs in the motivation field* Focus on developmental issues across the elementary and secondary school period* Discussion of instructional and theoretical issues regarding motivation* Consideration of gender and ethnic differences in motivation

Throughout the twentieth century there had been substantial links between scientific psychology and education. Binet, Dewey, Thorndike, and other early pioneers were strongly interested in both realms. Taking advantage of a period of enthusiasm, this title, originally published in 1983, looks at the amalgamation of the recent advances at the time in theory and research in education and psychology, with a particular focus on cognition, motivation and social policy. This volume presents and discusses the implications of this work on learning and motivation for educational policy.

How do individual differences interact with situational factors to shape social behavior? Are people with certain traits more likely to form lasting marriages; experience test-taking anxiety; break the law; feel optimistic about the future? This handbook provides a comprehensive, authoritative examination of the full range of personality variables associated with interpersonal judgment, behavior, and emotion. The contributors are acknowledged experts who have conducted influential research on the constructs they address. Chapters discuss how each personality attribute is conceptualized and assessed, review the strengths and limitations of available measures (including child and adolescent measures, when available), present important findings related to social behavior, and identify directions for future study.

Understanding student and teacher motivation and developing strategies to foster motivation for students at all levels of performance are essential to effective teaching. This text is designed to help prospective and practicing teachers achieve these goals. Its premise is that current research and theory about motivation offer hope and possibilities for educators —teachers, parents, coaches, and administrators—to enhance motivation for achievement. The orientation draws primarily on social-cognitive perspectives that have generated much research relevant to classroom practice. Ideal for any course that is dedicated to, or includes coverage of, motivation and achievement, the text focuses on two key roles teachers play in supporting and cultivating motivation in the classroom: establishing the classroom structure and instruction that provides the environment for optimal motivation, engagement, and learning; and helping students develop the tools that will enable them to be self-regulated learners and develop their potential. Pedagogical features aid the understanding of concepts and the application to practice: Strategy boxes present guidelines and strategies for using the various concepts. Exhibit boxes include forms for different purposes (for example, goal setting), examples of teacher beliefs and practices, and samples of student work. Reflection boxes stimulate readers’ thinking about motivational issues inherent in the topics, their experiences, and their beliefs. A motivational toolbox at the end of each chapter helps readers identify important points to think about, lingering questions, strategies to use now, and strategies to develop in the future. NEW IN THE THIRD EDITION Updated research and new topics are added throughout as warranted by current inquiry in the field. Chapters are reorganized to provide more coherence and to account for new findings. New and updated material is included on issues of educational reform, standards for achievement, and high-stakes testing, and on achievement goal theory, especially regarding performance goals and the distinction between performance-approach and performance-avoidance goals as relevant to classroom practice.

Part of the authoritative four-volume reference that spans the entire field of child development and has set the standard against which all other scholarly references are compared. Updated and revised to reflect the new developments in the field, the Handbook of Child Psychology, Sixth Edition contains new chapters on such topics as spirituality, social understanding, and non-verbal communication. Volume 4: Child Psychology in Practice, edited by K. Ann Renninger, Swarthmore College, and Irving E. Sigel, Educational Testing Service, covers child psychology in clinical and educational practice. New topics addressed include educational assessment and evaluation, character education, learning disabilities, mental retardation, media and popular culture, children's health and parenting.