Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 10, 2025
12:55
Multimodal Protocol for Assessing Metacognition and Self-Regulation in Adults with Learning Difficulties
Published on: September 27, 2020
8.8K
Assessing and Mapping Reading and Writing Motivation in Third to Eight Graders: A Self-Determination Theory
Fien De Smedt1, Amélie Rogiers1,2, Sofie Heirweg3
1Department of Educational Studies, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Frontiers in Psychology
|August 28, 2020
Summary
Student motivation in reading and writing significantly declines from elementary to secondary school. This study validates motivation questionnaires and highlights crucial intervention points in later elementary and lower secondary grades.
Area of Science:
- Educational Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Literacy Studies
Background:
- Understanding student motivation is crucial for effective literacy instruction.
- Self-Determination Theory provides a framework for examining intrinsic and extrinsic motivators.
- Existing measures of reading and writing motivation require validation across grade levels.
Purpose of the Study:
- To validate the Self-Regulation Questionnaire-Reading Motivation and Self-Regulation Questionnaire-Writing Motivation for students in grades 3-8.
- To investigate motivational trends in academic and recreational reading and writing.
- To explore the relationships between different types of reading and writing motives.
Main Methods:
- Confirmatory factor analyses were used to validate the Self-Regulation Questionnaires.
- A sample of 2,343 students from third to eighth grade participated.
- Measurement invariance was tested across gender, achievement levels, and grade bands.
Main Results:
- A two-factor model (autonomous vs. controlled motivation) was confirmed for reading and writing across all grades.
- The scales demonstrated reliability and measurement invariance across gender and achievement levels.
- A significant decline in autonomous motivation for reading and writing was observed across grade levels.
Conclusions:
- The Self-Regulation Questionnaires are valid and reliable tools for assessing reading and writing motivation.
- Late elementary and lower secondary grades are critical periods for fostering student motivation in literacy.
- Future research should focus on interventions that enhance autonomy, competence, and relatedness to boost literacy engagement.
Keywords:
elementary educationreading motivationsecondary educationself-determination theorywriting motivationMore Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:17Ryan and Deci's Self-Determination Theory
14.4K
Self-Determination Theory (SDT), formulated by Richard Ryan and Edward Deci, explains that human motivation is driven by three fundamental psychological needs: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. When these needs are met, individuals experience personal growth, intrinsic motivation, and overall well-being.
Autonomy is the need to feel in control of one's actions and decisions. For example, a student who chooses their research topic is likely to be more engaged and motivated than one who...
Autonomy is the need to feel in control of one's actions and decisions. For example, a student who chooses their research topic is likely to be more engaged and motivated than one who...
14.4K
01:29Self-Efficacy
133
Self-efficacy is the belief in one's capacity to organize and execute actions necessary to manage prospective situations. This belief significantly influences how individuals approach goals, tasks, and challenges across different domains of life.Psychological and Educational ImpactsIndividuals with strong self-efficacy are more resilient in the face of difficulties. They are more likely to adopt effective problem-solving strategies, persist through obstacles, and regulate emotions such as...
133
01:27Secondary Motives: Power Motivation and Achievement Motivation
416
Power motivation and achievement motivation are two essential social motives identified by psychologist David McClelland. These motives influence behavior in various personal and professional contexts, shaping how individuals interact with others and pursue their goals.
Power motivation is characterized by the desire to influence, control, or have an impact on others. It is shaped by an individual's experiences, social environment, and cultural context. People with high power motivation are...
Power motivation is characterized by the desire to influence, control, or have an impact on others. It is shaped by an individual's experiences, social environment, and cultural context. People with high power motivation are...
416
01:27Drive-Reduction Theory: Push Theory of Motivation
928
Clark Hull's drive-reduction theory, introduced in the 1940s and 1950s and often termed the "push theory" of motivation, provides a framework for understanding how biological and learned drives influence behavior. Hull suggested that motivation originates from the need to alleviate physiological tension caused by unmet biological necessities. The theory proposes that when a basic need, such as hunger or sleep, goes unfulfilled, it creates an internal imbalance. This imbalance, or...
928
03:00Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification
5.6K
Social psychologists have documented that feeling good about ourselves and maintaining positive self-esteem is a powerful motivator of human behavior (Tavris & Aronson, 2008). In the United States, members of the predominant culture typically think very highly of themselves and view themselves as good people who are above average on many desirable traits (Ehrlinger, Gilovich, & Ross, 2005). Often, our behavior, attitudes, and beliefs are affected when we experience a threat to our...
5.6K
02:45Self-Discrepancy Theory
18.7K
One influential perspective on what motivates people's behavior is detailed in Tory Higgin's self-discrepancy theory (Higgins, 1987). He proposed that people hold disagreeing internal representations of themselves that lead to different emotional states.
18.7K