ERIC Number: ED016241
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1967-Sep-3
Pages: 11
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
MOTIVATIONAL IMPLICATIONS OF INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES IN COMPETENCE.
MOULTON, ROBERT W.
SELF-JUDGMENTS OF COMPETENCE VARY GREATLY. COMPETENCE JUDGMENTS ARE IMPORTANT IN TESTING THE THEORY OF ACHIEVEMENT MOTIVATION. APPLICATION OF THIS THEORY REQUIRES ACCURATE CONTROL OR ASSESSMENT OF THE SUBJECTIVE PROBABILITIES IN AN INDIVIDUAL'S COMPETENCE JUDGMENTS. SUBJECTIVE PROBABILITIES ARE OF TWO TYPES--(1) SUBJECTIVE PROBABILITY OF SUCCESS, AND (2) CONSENSUAL DIFFICULTY LEVEL OR GENERALIZED JUDGMENTS ABOUT DIFFICULTY. VARIOUS TECHNIQUES FOR ELIMINATING OR CONTROLLING INDIVIDUAL COMPETENCE JUDGMENTS HAVE BEEN DEVISED. IN ONE METHOD, THE SUBJECT STATES HIS PROBABILITY OF SUCCESS FOR THE TASK. IN ANOTHER METHOD, THE SUBJECT IS GIVEN AN ASSESSMENT OF HIS COMPETENCE PRIOR TO PERFORMANCE OF THE TASK. SOME RESEARCH STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT THE COMPETENCE VARIABLE IS RELEVANT IN MEASURING ACHIEVEMENT MOTIVATION. THIS TOPIC REQUIRES FURTHER INVESTIGATION. EXTRINSIC INCENTIVES SUCH AS SOCIAL APPROVAL AND PRESTIGE ALSO PLAY A ROLE IN THE COMPETENCE VARIABLE. THE TENDENCY TO PERFORM AN ACHIEVEMENT RELATED ACT WILL INCREASE AS A FUNCTION OF CONSENSUAL DIFFICULTY LEVEL. COMPETENCE IS IMPORTANT, MEASURABLE, AND CAN BE USED TO ASSESS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EXTERNAL DEFINITION OF DIFFICULTY LEVEL AND SUBJECTIVE PROBABILITIES. THIS PAPER WAS PRESENTED AT THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION CONVENTION, WASHINGTON, D.C., SEPTEMBER 1967. (SK)
Descriptors: Individual Differences, Motivation, Probability, Self Esteem, Self Evaluation, Speeches, Task Performance, Theories, Values
Publication Type: N/A
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: N/A
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A