Intrinsic, extrinsic, and amotivational orientations: Their role in university adjustment, stress, well-being, and subsequent academic performance

Intrinsic, Extrinsic, and Amotivational Orientations: Their Role in University

Adjustment, Stress, Well-Being, and Subsequent Academic Performance

SARAH R. BAKER

University of Sheffield

The aim of this study was two-fold; first, to examine the relationship between motivational orientations and adjustment to university, stress, and well-being in a sample of students during their second year of university and second, to assess the predictive value of motivational orientations in determining subsequent academic performance. Controlling for gender and age, amotivated behaviors led to worse psychosocial adjustment to university, higher levels of perceived stress, and greater psychological distress while studying. In contrast, intrinsically motivated behaviors (to know) were associated with lower levels of stress. In relation to academic performance, neither extrinsic or intrinsic motivation, nor amotivation were related to subsequent academic achievement. Both gender and entry qualifications were significant predictors of performance; women and those individuals with greater academic aptitude prior to entering university had higher marks. These results are discussed with reference to Deci and Ryan's (1985, 1991) self-determination theory.

INTRODUCTION

T he concept of motivation can be studied from many different perspectives, one of particular relevance in the educational domain has been that postulated by Deci and Ryan (1985, 1991) which suggests that behavior can be intrinsically motivated, extrinsically motivated, or amotivated. Intrinsic motivation refers to doing an activity or behavior voluntarily for its own sake, and the inherent pleasure and satisfaction derived from participation, while extrinsic motivation refers to activities engaged in as a means to an end such as, to gain reward or avoid criticism, rather than for satisfaction of the activity itself. In contrast, amotivation refers to behaviors that are neither extrinsically nor intrinsically motivated, rather amotivated behaviors are non-regulated and non-intentional. In addition, within Deci and Ryan's framework, extrinsic motivation is not a unitary concept. They propose different types of extrinsically motivated behaviors ordered along a continuum between amotivation and intrinsic motivation, and varying in the extent to which they are self-determined; from lower to higher they are, external regulation, introjection, and identification. External regulation refers to behaviors that are perceived as non-autonomous, that is, determined solely by external forces rather than the individual. Introjected regulation refers to activities that are partly internalized through past external contingencies but not in a truly self-determined way,...