The research on motivation is extensive, and there are numerous theories to understand why and how we are motivated. Three components that are consistent in many of these theories are a person’s belief in their ability, a person’s expectations of success or failure, and a person’s sense of control over their outcomes11. Researchers Eccles & Wigfield assert that these three components directly influence a person’s answer to the question: “Can I do this task?” If the answer is "yes," then you are more likely to be successful and further motivated to attempt challenging tasks. Let's take a closer look at these three components.
Self-Efficacy
Self-efficacy is your belief in your own ability to succeed in reaching a goal13. Students who have high self-efficacy are more persistent in reaching their goals, and they also are more resilient when they face failure14. Self-efficacy is different from self-esteem which is how good you feel about yourself. Self-efficacy is your belief in your ability to accomplish something.
For example, Marc was frustrated that he had to take an English class for his degree and didn't believe he was able to be successful. He struggled with writing papers in high school, and he knew he "just wasn't good at writing." When Marc received a failing grade on his first paper, he stopped attending class and thought to himself "what's the point?" Marc lacked self-efficacy; he did not believe he was able to succeed and when faced with challenges, he was unable to remain motivated.
Take another student, Gina, who also struggled with writing. Gina believed, however, that she could be successful if she worked hard and got help from tutoring. When Gina received a low grade on her paper, she was frustrated, but she knew the class was important and still believed she could be successful. After class she went straight to tutoring to review her mistakes and get suggestions for improvement. Her self-efficacy allowed her to push through her failure and continue towards her goal.
PRO TIP:
Tutoring isn't just for help when you need it and are struggling- it's also there for reinforcement, validation, and confidence-building.
- Cathy Rosenkrans, Assistant Director of Tutoring
Locus of Control
Self-efficacy also builds on the belief that you are in control of your own success and failure. People with an internal locus of control believe they are in control or are the cause of their success based on their own effort or ability. People with an external locus of control believe outside forces, such as luck or fate, determine their success. Research has shown that people who have an internal locus of control are more motivated and more likely to succeed15.
Their expectation of success also is directly related to the extent they feel in control of their own success and failure16.
In the example above, Marc had an external locus of control believing there was nothing he could do; he "just wasn't good at writing." In Gina's case, she had an internal locus of control; she believed she could improve her writing ability with hard work and help from tutoring.
Expectancy and Value
Many things can impact your motivation including your goals, sense of self-efficacy, and sense of control over your actions. Two additional aspects of motivation are your expectation of success and the value you place on a goal. This theory is referred to as expectancy-value theory and can be seen as the formula: Expectation x Value = Motivation17. In this theory, expectation refers to how you think you will perform on a particular task or goal18. How you perceive yourself and how you perceive the challenge of the task will influence your expectation of success19. Additionally, your value will influence how appealing the goal is and how motivated you are to achieve the goal20.
In the example above, Marc had a low expectation of success and low value of the class so his motivation was also low. In Gina's case she had a higher expectation of succeeding in the class and knew the class was valuable to her so her motivation was much higher.
9 National Center for Education Statistics. (2020). The condition of Education. National Center for Education Statistics The Condition of Education [nces.ed.gov]
10 National Center for Education Statistics. (2020). The condition of Education. National Center for Education Statistics The Condition of Education [nces.ed.gov]
11 Eccles, J. S., & Wigfield, A. (2002). Motivational beliefs, values, and goals. Annual Review of Psychology, 53(1), 109–132. https://doi-org.ezproxy.hacc.edu/10.....100901.135153.
12 Eccles, J. S., & Wigfield, A. (2002). Motivational beliefs, values, and goals. Annual Review of Psychology, 53(1), 109–132. https://doi-org.ezproxy.hacc.edu/10.....100901.135153.
13 Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York: Freeman
14 Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York: Freeman.
15 Eccles, J. S., & Wigfield, A. (2002). Motivational beliefs, values, and goals. Annual Review of Psychology, 53(1), 109–132. https://doi-org.ezproxy.hacc.edu/10.....100901.135153.
16 Eccles, J. S., & Wigfield, A. (2002). Motivational beliefs, values, and goals. Annual Review of Psychology, 53(1), 109–132. https://doi-org.ezproxy.hacc.edu/10.....100901.135153.
17 Wigfield, A., & Eccles, J. S. (2000). Expectancy--value theory of achievement motivation. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 25(1), 68–81. https://doi-org.ezproxy.hacc.edu/10....ceps.1999.1015.
18 Eccles, J. S., & Wigfield, A. (2002). Motivational beliefs, values, and goals. Annual Review of Psychology, 53(1), 109–132. https://doi-org.ezproxy.hacc.edu/10.....100901.135153.
19 Eccles, J. S., & Wigfield, A. (2002). Motivational beliefs, values, and goals. Annual Review of Psychology, 53(1), 109–132. https://doi-org.ezproxy.hacc.edu/10.....100901.135153.
20 Eccles, J. S., & Wigfield, A. (2002). Motivational beliefs, values, and goals. Annual Review of Psychology, 53(1), 109–132. https://doi-org.ezproxy.hacc.edu/10.....100901.135153.
