Does intrinsic motivation improve academic achievement, or vice versa?Providing longitudinal evidence for the main theories of motivation based on primary education students’ age and sex

  1. Sainz de la Maza San Jose, Martin 1
  2. Campo, Lucia 1
  3. Delgado, Nahia 2
  4. Etxabe Urbieta, Jose Maria 1
  1. 1 Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea
    info

    Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea

    Lejona, España

    ROR https://ror.org/000xsnr85

  2. 2 Globernance
Journal:
Revista de investigación educativa, RIE

ISSN: 0212-4068,  1989-9106

Year of publication: 2025

Issue: 43

Type: Article

DOI: 10.6018/RIE.587621 DIALNET GOOGLE SCHOLAR lock_openDIGITUM editor

More publications in: Revista de investigación educativa, RIE

Abstract

 A significant number of teachers justify intrinsic motivation as a driver for the improvement of academic performance in primary school students. However, the main theories of motivation that exist today support the opposite idea. To date, the existing longitudinal studies on students at this stage are scarce, which makes it really difficult to verify whether this statement is true or whether it is an educational myth. For this reason, the objective of this study has been to verify whether intrinsic motivation leads to improvements in academic performance or vice versa, and whether this relationship is mediated by the student's age and gender. A total of 852 primary education students (M = 10.82; DT = .867) participated, and longitudinal data on their intrinsic motivation and academic performance was collected at the beginning (T1) and end (T2) of a 7-month period. The results revealed that, regardless of the student's sex and age, intrinsic motivation at T1 did not significantly predict academic performance at T2. However, academic performance at T1 did predict intrinsic motivation at T2, and this relationship was mediated by the student's age but not by their gender. These results are of special interest for teachers to eliminate possible educational myths and to observe how providing opportunities for success can be of special interest in improving students’ intrinsic motivation.

Bibliographic References

  • Abdelrahma, R. M. (2020). Metacognitive awareness and academic motivation and their impact on academic achievement of Ajman University students. Heliyon, 6(9), e04192. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e04192
  • Acosta, F. P., & Clavero, F. H. (2018). Relaciones entre rendimiento e inteligencia emocional en secundaria. Tendencias Pedagógicas, 31, 165-186.
  • Anderman, E. M., & Anderman, L. H. (2020). Classroom Motivation: Linking Research to Teacher Practice (3rd ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003013600
  • Badola, S. (2013). Effect of School’s on Academic Achievement Motivation of Secondary level Students. Educationia Confab, 2, 61–66.
  • Baharudin, R., & Zulkefly, N. S. (2009). Relationships with Father and Mother, Self-Esteem and Academic Achievement amongst College Students. American Journal of Scientific Research, 6.
  • Borić, E. (2017). Teachers’ job satisfaction, work motivation, and encouragement of competences among pupils. Metodički ogledi: časopis za filozofiju odgoja, 24(2), 23-38.
  • Broussard, S. C., & Garrison, M. E. B. (2004). The Relationship Between Classroom Motivation and Academic Achievement in Elementary-School-Aged Children. Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal, 33, 106-120. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077727X04269573
  • Castaño-Rubio, I., Rodríguez Suárez, N., & Granero-Gallegos, A. (2011). Orientaciones de meta de los jóvenes escolares del colegio El Buen Pastor de Murcia. Espiral. Cuadernos del Profesorado, 4(8), 13-21. http://dx.doi.org/10.25115/ecp.v4i8.921
  • Cerasoli, C. P., Nicklin, J. M., & Ford, M. T. (2014). Intrinsic motivation and extrinsic incentives jointly predict performance: a 40-year meta-analysis. Psychological bulletin, 140(4), 980-1008. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0035661
  • Cervelló, E. M., & Santos-Rosa, F. (2007). Motivación en las clases de Educación Física: un estudio de la perspectiva de las metas de logro en el contexto educativo. Revista de Psicología del Deporte, 9(12).
  • Cook, D. A. & Artino, A. R., J.R. (2016). Motivation to learn: an overview of contemporary theories. Medical Eduction, 50(10), 997-1014. https://doi.org/10.1111/medu.13074
  • Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1987). The support of autonomy and the control of behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 53(6), 1024-1037. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.53.6.1024
  • Deci, E. L., Koestner, R., & Ryan, R. M. (1999). A meta-analytic review of experiments examining the effects of extrinsic rewards on intrinsic motivation. Psychological Bulletin, 125(6), 627-668.
  • DePasque, S., & Tricomi, E. (2015). Effects of intrinsic motivation on feedback processing during learning. NeuroImage, 119, 175-186. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.06.046
  • Dubow, E., Boxer, P., & Huesmann, L. (2009). Long-term Effects of Parents’ Education on Children’s Educational and Occupational Success: Mediation by Family Interactions, Child Aggression, and Teenage Aspirations. Merrill-Palmer quarterly (Wayne State University Press), 55, 224-249. https://doi.org/10.1353/mpq.0.0030
  • Eccles, J. S., & Wigfield, A. (1995). In the Mind of the Actor: The Structure of Adolescents’ Achievement Task Values and Expectancy-Related Beliefs. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 21(3), 215–225. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167295213003
  • García, M. S., González-Pineda, J. A., Núñez, J. C., González-Pumariega, S., Álvarez, L., Roces, C., González, R., & Valle, A. (1998). El cuestionario de metas académicas (CMA): un instrumento para la evaluación de la orientación motivacional de los alumnos de Educación Secundaria. Aula Abierta, 71, 175-199.
  • Hennessey, B., Moran, S., Altringer, B., & Amabile, T. M. (2015). Extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. Organizational Behavior, 11. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118785317.weom110098
  • Herges, R. M., Duffield, S., Martin, W., & Wageman, J. (2017). Motivation and Achievement of Middle School Mathematics Students. The Mathematics Educator, 26, 1, 83–106.
  • Hidi, S., & Renninger, K. A. (2006). The four-phase model of interest development. Educational Psychologist, 41(2), 111-127. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15326985ep4102_4
  • Hornstra, L., van der Veen, I., Peetsma, T., & Volman, M. (2013). Developments in motivation and achievement during primary school: A longitudinal study on group-specific differences. Learning and Individual Differences, 23, 195-204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2012.09.004
  • Kusurkar, R. A., Croiset, G., Mann, K. V., Custers, E., & Ten Cate, O. (2012) Have motivation theories guided the development and reform of medical education curricula? A review of the literature. Academic Medicine, 87(6), 735-43. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0b013e318253cc0e
  • Lee, J., & Stankov, L. (2018). Non-cognitive predictors of academic achievement: Evidence from TIMSS and PISA. Learning and Individual Differences, 65, 50-64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2018.05.009
  • Lens, W., Paixão, M. P., & Herrera, D. (2009). Instrumental Motivation is Extrinsic Motivation: So What??? Psychologica, 50, 21-40. https://doi.org/10.14195/1647-8606_50_2
  • Liu, Y., & Hou, S. (2018). Potential reciprocal relationship between motivation and achievement: A longitudinal study. School Psychology International, 39(1), 38–55. https://doi.org/10.1177/0143034317710574
  • Manzano-Sánchez, D. M. (2021). Differences between psychological aspects in Primary Education and Secondary Education. Motivation, Basic Psychological Needs, Responsibility, Classroom Climate, Prosocial and Antisocial behaviors and Violence | Diferencias entre aspectos psicológicos en Educación Primaria y Educación Secundaria. Motivación, Necesidades psicológicas básicas, Responsabilidad, Clima de aula, Conductas antisociales y Violencia. Espiral. Cuadernos del profesorado, 14(28). https://doi.org/10.25115/ecp.v14i28.4198
  • McArthur, A., Ellis, H. H., & Havard, B. (2016). Perceptions of Technology Integration and Creative Curricula in Child Education. thannual, 77.
  • Michaelides M. P., Gavin, G. T. L., Brown, T. L., Eklöf, H., & Papanastasiou, E. C. (2019). The Relationship of Motivation with Achievement in Mathematics. In IEAR (Ed.), Motivational Profiles in TIMSS, 7, 9-23. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-26183-2_2
  • Mutz, J.-P. D. M., & Burrmann, U. (2014). Sind Mädchen im koedukativen Sportunterricht systematisch benachteiligt? [Does coeducational Physical Education systematically discriminate against girls? New evidence on an old debate]. Sportwissenschaft, 44, 171– 181. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12662-014-0328-x
  • Nicaise, V., Cogérino, G., Bois, J., & Amorose, A. J. (2006). Students’ perceptions of teacher feedback and physical competence in Physical Education classes: Gender effects. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, 25, 36–57. https://doi.org/10.1123/jtpe.25.1.36
  • Pongračić, L., Hasanagić, D. L., & Komadina, L. T. (2021). Motivation Factors for Elementary School Students. European Journal of Teaching and Education, 3(1), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.33422/ejte.v3i1.646
  • Quílez-Robres, A., Moyano, N., & Cortés-Pascual (2021). Motivational, Emotional, and Social Factors Explain Academic Achievement in Children Aged 6–12 Years: A Meta-Analysis. Education Sciences, 11(9), 513. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11090513
  • Rahmani, P. (2011). The relationship between self-esteem, achievement goals and academic achievement among the primary school students. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 29, 803-808. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.11.308
  • Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). When rewards compete with nature: The undermining of intrinsic motivation and self-regulation. In Sansone, C. & Harackiewicz, J. (Eds). In, Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation (pp. 13-54). Academic Press.
  • Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2017). Self-determination theory: Basic psychological needs in motivation, development, and wellness. Guilford Publications. http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/purdue/detail.action?docID=4773318.
  • Schunk, D. H., & Usher, E. L. (2012). Social Cognitive Theory and Motivation. In R. M. Ryan (Ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Human Motivation (pp. 13-27). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195399820.013.0002
  • Steinmayr, R., Weidinger, A. F., Schwinger, M., & Spinath, B. (2019). The Importance of Students’ Motivation for Their Academic Achievement – Replicating and Extending Previous Findings. Frontiers in Psychology, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01730
  • Taylor, G.; Jungert, T.; Mageau, G. A. ; Schattke, K.; Dedic, H.; Rosenfield, S. & Koestner, R. (2014). A self-determination theory approach to predicting school achievement over time: the unique role of intrinsic motivation. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 39(4), 342-358. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2014.08.002.
  • Vallerand, R. J. (1997). Toward a hierarchical model of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 29, 271-360. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2601(08)60019-2
  • Wang, C., Cho, H. J., Wiles, B., Moss, J. D., Bonem, E. M., Li, Q., Lu, Y., & Levesque-Bristol, C. (2022). Competence and autonomous motivation as motivational predictors of college students’ mathematics achievement: from the perspective of self-determination theory. International Journal of STEM Education, 9, 41. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-022-00359-7
  • Weiner, B. (1972). Attribution theory, achievement motivation, and the educational process. Review of educational research, 42(2), 203-215. https://doi.org/10.2307/1170017
  • Weiner, B. (Ed.). (1974). Achievement motivation and attribution theory. General Learning Press.
  • Xiao F., & Sun, L. (2021). Students’ Motivation and Affection Profiles and Their Relation to Mathematics Achievement, Persistence, and Behaviors. Frontiers in Psychology, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.533593
  • Zhang, Y., Yang, X., Sun, X., & Kaiser, G. (2023). The reciprocal relationship among Chinese senior secondary students’ intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and cognitive engagement in learning mathematics: a three-wave longitudinal study. ZDM Mathematics Education, 55, 399–412. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11858-022-01465-0
Data source: Dialnet