Using Achievement Motivation to Succeed

The achievement motivation theory is a concept that the harder the work, the more motivated people experience. The theory aims to decrease boredom and thus increase achievement.

This motivation theory has been used in education for over half a century, but has never been proven scientifically. Although it has led to consistent achievement scores and lower rates of burnout, it is not always effective in every context.
This theory is based on the expectancy theory of motivation where an individual’s behaviour towards success is motivated by the perceived value of success and the expectancy that effort will result in success. If a person has a high expectancy that they will succeed with little or no effort, they are more likely to exhibit behavioural responses to enhance their success.

Achievement Motivation Theory

The theoretical basis of this theory, was developed by Edward L. Deci and Richard M. Ryan based on their research into intrinsic motivation and self-determination theory. The distinction between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation relates to whether people are internally or externally focused through work.

Intrinsic motivation refers to the internal desire to achieve for its own sake, whereas extrinsic motivation refers to the external pressures that may be applied to a person (i.e. money). Achievement motivation theory suggests that individuals will be inspired to achieve when an ‘intrinsic’ reward is given rather than an ‘extrinsic’ reward. If a person’s work is motivated by an intrinsic reward, they will be more likely to experience hard work and perseverance towards their goals.

History

Achievement motivation theory was initially developed in the 1950s by Edward L. Deci and Richard M Ryan who were working at Cornell University. Their motivation theory supported earlier work by Abraham Maslow, who developed the hierarchy of needs theory. Deci and Ryan therefore aimed to study the relationship between cognitive, emotional and behavioural responses to different kinds of rewards. They used a sense of achievement as an intrinsic reward and attached this to hard work through a process known as “overjustification” where an extrinsic reward (money) was offered for work. Using questionnaires, self concept scales and interviews, they discovered that participants who received money for their work were less intrinsically motivated than those who did not receive any reward. Thus, they concluded that monetary reward often decreases intrinsic motivation.

Since then, the application of this theory has been expanded upon in educational environments. The theory was used to increase academic achievement scores and reduce burnout in classrooms.

Theoretical Approaches

Achievement Motivation Theory is based on the following theoretical approaches:

The intended purpose of this theory is to “teach students how to learn by encouraging them to engage in hard work, perseverance and taking responsibility for their own behaviour.” It primarily tries to get students motivated so that they will not feel a need for extrinsic rewards, but want success for its own sake. This will therefore contribute towards them being academically more successful through increasing motivation and reducing feelings of boredom.
(Ryan & Deci 1987)

Motivation for Achievement

The most attractive aspect of this motivation theory is the possibility of motivating students to work hard through the use of intrinsic rewards. It promotes a sense of achievement, which then encourages students to apply themselves. This contributes towards higher academic success rates, but also improves their chances of becoming a more stable member of society. (Lubow 1995)

Achievement motivation theory suggests that people are more motivated to achieve when given an achievement goal rather than a mastery goal. An achievement goal is defined as a task that the person is trying to do better than they have done in the past, whereas a mastery goal involves someone trying to become better at a task they are currently doing. This theory suggests that when given an achievement goal, people perceive work as hard and thus motivating.

Implications for the Theory and its Relevance Today

The implication for this theory today is that although it is effective in achieving higher academic success rates and lowering burnout levels amongst teachers, it does not always work effectively in every context. It works well when used in classes where there are expectations about individual performance given by teacher or peers. However, it may not work as well in vocational and applied sciences.

Types of Achievement Motivation

Achievement motivation is a mental trait that can be identified by the way an individual approaches tasks. There are many different ways to categorize achievement motivation, but the following article will provide you with five specific types. Each of these five types comes with their own characteristics and strengths as well as weakness.

1. Achievement Orientation – People with an achievement orientation are very task-oriented, which means that their performance is not affected by their mood or the environment. Achievement-oriented individuals are focused and motivated to complete the tasks before them.

2. Task Orientation – This type of achievement motivation relates to preferring tasks that have an external purpose, as opposed to internal purposes such as self-satisfaction or self-improvement.

3. Performance Orientation – This type of achievement motivation relates to the amount of pressure that an individual can handle. Individuals with a high performance orientation are not high-strung or over-emotional, but they thrive under pressure and tend to take on difficult tasks.

4. Guilt Orientation – People that have a guilt orientation are highly sensitive to criticism from others and are most motivated when they think something is wrong with them. These individuals will tend to be perfectionists and find it very difficult to not feel guilty about everything.

5. Self-Directed Motivation – A self-directed motivation is a positive, proactive approach that focuses on personal growth. These individuals are highly motivated by skills and knowledge, so they tend to seek out ways in which they can improve both their skills and knowledge throughout their lifetime.

How to use Achievement motivation

Achievement motivation is a term that refers to a person’s desire or need to attain competence, meet challenge, and experience success (Dweck, 2006).

There are many different ways to motivate achievement motivation and can vary from person to person. But it is best for you to use your real life and goals as a basis for figuring out what works for you.

Achieving Goals

Goal setting is one of the most important factors in achieving success. More then just a goal, it is a plan of how you are going to achieve your goals or meet your objective. There is a lot of thought that goes into deciding what you want from the future, who you want to be and how you will get there. It is important to go into this with a clear head and not too many expectations.

Choose something that seems attainable

Often times people set goals that are too high or not practical enough to reach, which can cause them feeling embarrassed and frustrated at themselves when they fail to reach their goal. Setting goals that are attainable will give you a chance to experience success and will also allow you to plan your actions accordingly.

What do you need to learn?

Goals also need to be related to something that has a purpose. Setting goals that don’t have a purpose can make you feel unfulfilled. If you are working towards something or for someone, then goals feel more meaningful and offers a sense of direction.

How will you learn the things that need to be learned?

Another important factor of setting goals is how you are going to learn the things that you need to be learned. For example, working towards becoming a better person or for some people becoming the best can be done through learning about all the different types of people and how they act. Sometimes when a goal is too far out of reach, it can be overwhelming and it can start to discourage you from achieving it. By setting a feasible objective, it can help you feel encouraged to achieve your goal.

Know the why behind it all

Know why you need to achieve your goals and it will help you make weekly plans. If you don’t know how to achieve your goals, then you may end up staying in the same rut and not really improving. Setting small goals is recommended for beginners, because it will provide the motivation to accomplish something.

Use Achievement Motivation Techniques

One of the best ways to use achievement motivation is to try out new things. If you have a new job or an interesting project, try some new things and see how they work out. You can always improve and make minor adjustments as you go, but you should start trying things with some daring just to see if they work out.

Create a Plan for Achievement Motivation

If you are in a situation where achievement motivation is not going well, take some steps to improve the situation. You may find that the problem is something easy to fix, like having too many distractions around your work area. Make a plan for how you can solve the problem and you will soon be making progress again.

Get feedback

You may not know how to use achievement motivation, but that does not mean that it is useless. If you do a presentation or a project, do you get feedback? Do your coworkers evaluate your progress every week or month? You can find out what works and what doesn’t work through a review. When you find out how to use achievement motivation, you will be able to make progress faster and feel better about the future.

Improve Your Environments

Achievement motivation is not useful if the environment is not conducive to success. If you are in a bad work environment, it can make it harder to do your presentation or complete your project on time. It may be hard to find a new job or improve an environment, but your career and promotion could depend on it. You will want to think about how you can use achievement motivation for the best environments for success.

Remind Yourself of Progress

To make progress, you need to look back and remember where you have been. It may seem like you have made a lot of progress, but it can be easy to forget where you have come from and where you are going. Once your mind is set on the future, that is when achievement motivation is most effective.

The theoretical basis of this motivation theory has never been scientifically proven, despite its consistent statistical findings. However, it has led to consistent achievement scores and lower rates of burnout. It is an effective motivational theory that is applicable in many different contexts.

Achievement motivation theory may not be the most suitable theory for all subjects in all subjects. It may not be acceptable in vocational and applied studies where there are no expectations of behaviour from peers or teachers.