Introduction
In the case study, Raj, a sixth-grader, is an unassuming young man who approaches his schoolwork with a relaxed and collected demeanor. Raj’s insatiable curiosity is the source of his innate drive. Many contemporary theories of achievement and engagement seek to explain students’ behaviors in educational settings. Different emotions and ideas are thought to be responsible for diverse patterns of behavior, such as the pursuit of mastery, the avoidance of failure, and learned helplessness. Although each theory appears to have its structure and explanation, the truth is that these ideas are closely linked. The goal of this exploration into the theoretical aspects of motivation is to analyze several theories of motivation and group these theories under the umbrella concept of the influence of sentiments. The implications focused on creating classroom environments that allow students to feel autonomy, competence, and significance as the primary drivers of adaptive and constructive learning progress.
Theoretical Analysis
Self-efficacy theory is a term comparable with competence and refers to a person’s judgment about his or her potential to complete a task at a set level of performance. Self-efficacy can be defined as the person’s belief that he or she can (or is unable to) perform the task being asked of them. Self-efficacy is correlated with accomplishment behaviors such as psychological processes, achievement success, enthusiasm, self-worth, and choice of activities (Seifert, 2004). Students who feel they have control over their learning are more likely to engage in self-regulation, strategic thinking, and metacognition than students who do not have this sense of control. This self-efficacy hypothesis explains Raj’s tenacious nature, which drives him to seek new experiences and work diligently and creatively toward accomplishing his goals.
A person’s explanation of why a particular event turned out as it did, such as whether they passed or failed a test or won or lost a game, is known as an attribution. An attribution theory refers to the perceived reason for an occurrence (Seifert, 2004). In a school environment, common explanations for students’ failures may include a lack of effort, skills, knowledge, methods, ability, chance, the instructor’s mood, or mistakes made by the instructor. The formation of attributions leads to the elicitation of feelings, which in turn have implications for a person’s subsequent conduct.
The outcome is followed by a broad emotional reaction to the event, which can either be positive or negative depending on the nature of the outcome. These are the real reasons that are presented for the result, which are produced given specific antecedents that are considered to be accidental (Seifert, 2004). Since Raj anticipates receiving a grade somewhere in the middle of the range, he chose 55 (Raj Case study, n.d). Students who can relate their successes and failures to factors under their control are more likely to report feelings of pride, pleasure, and confidence, as well as a greater sense of self-esteem. As a direct result, the students in question will opt to complete more challenging assignments, demonstrate a greater capacity for cognitive engagement, endure for longer in the face of setbacks, and turn in work of a higher quality.
The philosophy of achievement based on one’s sense of self-worth motivation is an attempt to explain some students’ motivation as attempts to maintain or develop self-worth, and the behaviors of students can be interpreted in terms of protecting self-worth. The primary premises of self-worth theory try to explain the thought process of the student who attempts to avoid failing (Seifert, 2004). The fundamental premise of this theory is that individuals are endowed with a feeling of self-worth and that this sense serves as an essential component of normal human functioning.
A person who has a healthy sense of their worth is aware that they are liked and respected by others and valued for who they are as a person. The case study suggests that Raj’s behavior can be explained by his strong sense of his inherent value (Raj Case study, n.d). He is motivated by forces within himself that cause him to strive for excellence to demonstrate that he is valuable, enhancing his sense of self-worth. Even though Raj’s line of work presents him with specific difficulties, he has decided to engage in further dialogue to protect his sense of self-worth rather than accept that he will be unsuccessful.
Intrinsic motivation is said to be the driving force behind Raj’s actions, per the Self-Determination Theory. The study of SDT started with an emphasis on intrinsic motivation, which is a paradigmatic embodiment of the active integrative tendencies in human nature that SDT assumes are present (Ryan & Deci, 2020). Intrinsic motivation refers to actions performed for the sake of the activity itself or the activity’s inherent pleasure and satisfaction. Intrinsically motivated behaviors are not dependent on external incentives or pressure but rather generate satisfaction and delights (Ryan & Deci, 2020). Examples of such behaviors include those that are produced from play, exploration, and general curiosity. Even though they are enjoyable, such innate propensities toward interesting engagement and mastery are serious organismic business. Raj’s ability to work independently and create the curiosity necessary to ensure that he devices a solution even in the most challenging situation is something he has developed from the inside out.
Conclusion
In conclusion, students’ motivation might be partially understood through observable patterns of behavior and emotion. Although it is reasonable to believe that other emotions may impact conduct, competence and individuality are essential. Fundamental psychological requirements for students and instructors lie at the heart of SDT’s applications in the classroom. Validated by a large body of research conducted in educational settings, providing for students’ basic psychological needs facilitates students’ intrinsic motivation and well-internalized inspiration and enhances their well-being.
References
Raj Case study (n.d)
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2020). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation from a self-determination theory perspective: Definitions, theory, practices, and Future Directions.Contemporary Educational Psychology, 61, 101860.
Seifert, T. (2004). Understanding student motivation.Educational Research, 46(2), 137–149.