Motivation and Learning Questions and Answers

Answer: D

The example of extrinsic motivation is "I complete my homework because the teacher gives us marks for each assignment."

Extrinsic motivation comes from outside the activity: the student does the homework to earn something separate from it, here marks. If the marks were removed, the reason for doing the work would go too.

The other three statements express intrinsic motivation, in which the activity is rewarding in itself: enjoying the homework because it is fun, valuing how much one learns from it, and liking the way it deepens understanding of concepts.

Answer: D

Avi is attributing his performance to lack of ability.

In attribution theory, 'I just don't have the sense for numbers' explains failure by a stable, internal and uncontrollable cause, a fixed lack of ability. Such attributions are harmful because the child sees no point in trying harder.

Luck and task difficulty are external causes, and lack of effort is internal but controllable ('I did not work hard enough'). Avi's words blame none of these.

Answer: B

Mastery goals bring enhanced intrinsic motivation and belief in the incremental view of ability.

A student with mastery (learning) goals aims to understand and improve, not to look clever. Such students find learning rewarding in itself, and they tend to hold Dweck's incremental (growth) view that ability can be increased through effort.

The entity view, that ability is fixed, goes with performance goals, where the aim is to prove one's ability. Extrinsic motivation, driven by rewards or grades, is also typical of performance goals rather than mastery goals.

Answer: C

Intrinsic motivation is playing a sport for personal enjoyment.

Intrinsic motivation comes from within: the activity is rewarding in itself because it is enjoyable, interesting or satisfying.

The other three are extrinsic. Studying to get a good grade and playing for prize money are done for an external reward, and doing homework to avoid a scolding is done to escape a punishment.

Answer: B

Intrinsic motivation is motivation that comes from personal enjoyment of the task.

An intrinsically motivated learner does an activity for its own sake, because it is interesting, enjoyable or satisfying, not for anything outside it. Such motivation leads to deeper and longer-lasting learning.

Motivation from external rewards, from competition with others or from fear of punishment comes from outside the task, so it is extrinsic motivation.