Motivation and Academic Performance Correlation

The assignment discusses the influence of motivation on academic performance, focusing on the self-determination theory by Deci and Ryan (1985). The study categorizes motivation into three aspects: intrinsic, extrinsic, and amotivation. Intrinsic motivation is associated with effective learning processes, creativity, and cognitive flexibility, while extrinsic motivation has been linked to impaired learning and poor performance. The study also explores the connection between motivational orientations and psychological well-being in university students, suggesting that intrinsic motivation and self-determined types of extrinsic motivation are positively related to well-being.

Studies reveal that motivation bears a positive influence on the academic
performance of students. Motivation has been shown the positive influence of a
study strategy, academic performance, and well-being in students in domains of
education Individuals can have intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation or,
amotivation (Deci & Ryan, 1985;1991). Intrinsically motivated individuals perform an
activity for attainment of self-satisfaction whereas extrinsically motivated individuals
perform to escape defamation or, attainment of rewards. Amotivated individuals
performs activities which are unintended and uncontrolled.
They suggest different types of extrinsically motivation behaviours that controlled
along a range between amotivation and intrinsic motivation, and varying in the extent
to which they are self-determined; form lower to higher they are, external regulation,
introjection, and identification. External regulation refers to behaviour that are
perceived as non-autonomous, that is determined merely by external forces rather
that individuals. Introjected regulation refers to activities that are partly internalized
through past external contingencies but not in a truly self-determined way, while
identified regulation refers to behaviour that are judged as important for the
individual, and perceived as autonomous and chosen by themselves.
These studies suggest that extrinsically motivated behaviors, in general, are
associated with impaired learning, poorer performance, and educational outcomes
(e.g., Benware & Deci, 1984; Grolnick & Ryan, 1987). However, more recent
research assessing motivational orientations in a multidimensional fashion (e.g.,
Academic Motivation Scale; Vallerand, Pelletier, Blais, Briere, Senecal, & Vallieres,
1992) suggests that the link between extrinsic motivation and educational outcomes
is complex and depends on the type of extrinsically motivated behaviors assessed
(Vallerand & Bissonnette, 1992; Vallerand, Blais, Briere, & Pelletier, 1989; Vallerand

et al., 1992; Vallerand, Fortier, & Guay, 1997). In these studies, both intrinsic
motivation and more autonomous or self-determined types of extrinsic motivation
(identified regulation) were associated with lower dropout rates and more
persistence, while non-self-determined types of extrinsic motivation (external,
introjected) and amotivation were negatively related or not related to such outcomes.
This study intends to assess the correlation amid various motivational
orientations and performance in a tertiary educational background. Evidence
suggests that university education calls for adjustment related to social, interpersonal
and academic demands (Dunkel-Schetter & Lobel, 1990) which in turn can affect the
physical and psychological well-being of the student (Aspinwall & Taylor, 1992;
Fisher & Hood, 1987). In this study, a theoretical model will be used to test the
influence of perceived peer climate on self-motivation followed by well
University students are certainly affected with motivation. Students tend to struggle to find energy
and put effort into academic tasks. The approach of motivation is studied form different aspects.
One of the specific relevance in the educational field, is the self-determination theory which is
postulated by Deci and Ryan (1985). He suggests that behaviour of motivation can be categorised
into three parts: intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation and amotivation. Intrinsic motivation
points that an individual will be doing the activity by its self, the pleasure and happiness, from
meeting a need or reaching a goal is coming from participation. Extrinsic motivation refers to
engaging to an activity to avoid criticism and gain rewards, rather than gratification of meeting the
need of the activity itself. Amotivation is a state of missing desire or reason to start of the activity
which is also seen as lack of perceived as a familiar to value the activity or its results. (Vallerland et
al., 1992)
In the educational framework, the 3 motivational aspect has been linked with a variety of different
outcomes. Intrinsic motivation has constructed to contribute to an effective learning process and
the quality of learning. In specific, intrinsically motivated individuals tend to be more engaged in
deep- level studies, creativity and cognitive flexibility. Also, intrinsic motivation has been associated
to improve self-esteem and general wellbeing (Deci & Ryan, 1995). In contrast, there has been less
attention given to the research of the role of amotivation. This is because most study has been

applied to unidimensional of motivation, which is doesn’t go further than simple extrinsic/intrinsic
distinctions. For example with the study of Harter (1981) suggest that extrinsically motivated
behaviours are generally associated with the impaired learning and poor performance on
educational outcomes. However the study of Vallerland et al (1992) purpose that the connection
between extrinsic motivation and educational outcomes is convoluted and relies on the extrinsic
motivated behaviours assessed. In these two studies, intrinsic motivation and self-determined types
of extrinsic motivation was associated with failure rates and more perseverance, in the other hand
while other types non self-determined types of extrinsic motivation and amotivation were
negatively to educational outcome. A major variable with this study is the psychological well-being
of a student, this means having a consolidation of self-acceptance, personal development and
positive relationships with others peers. Psychological well-being is defined as the personal feeling of
contentment, amusement and happiness with life experience and the role in the world of work. It
also suggests the adequacy, belongings and no distress or tension of work or university tasks. (Bhat
and Naik, 2016)
The study was designed to measure various motivational orientations and the important factors of
well-being between peer climate, and succeeding wellbeing among students in higher education.
The study hypothesized that intrinsic motivation will positively predict engagement whereas
extrinsic motivation is unrelated to engagement and lastly amotivation is negatively associated to
engagement.