Educable mentally retarded adolescent males' reactions to failure as a function of cognitions, motivational orientations, and the instructional set
Abstract
A variety of instruments measuring cognitive-motivational constructs (conception of ability, performance expectations, perceived ability, beliefs about the causes of academic success, and motivational orientations) were administered to 69 adolescent males. Their responses were analyzed using factor analysis. The results of factor analysis indicated that EMR adolescent males make the same underlying conceptual distinctions that other adolescent populations (typical, academically-able) make with regards to cognitive-motivational constructs. Three distinct motivational orientations (task orientation, ego orientation, and avoidance-alienation orientation) and two distinct sets of beliefs about the causes of academic success (interest and effort; competitive and extrinsic factors) were identified. EMR adolescent males' beliefs about the causes of academic success and motivational orientations were also found to relate to one another in meaningful and statistically significant ways. Next, EMR adolescent males were randomly assigned to one of three instructional sets (task-involvement, ego-involvement, and task-extrinsic involvement) and administered three different sets of drawing puzzles. After participants experienced failure, they completed two more questionnaires. One questionnaire assessed their attributions and affect related to their failure; the other instrument assessed their performance expectations for a subsequent, similar task. The last set of drawing puzzles was administered and data regarding time-on-task and performance accuracy were collected. Correlations were computed on the indices of reactions to failure and scores on cognitive-motivational factors. Results indicated that some of the relationships between cognitive-motivational factors and indices of reactions to failure were statistically significant. Next, multiple regression analyses were conducted on the indices of reactions to failure using cognitive-motivational factors as predictors. Results revealed that cognitive-motivational factors are statistically significant predictors of reactions to failure. Next, MANOVAs were performed on the indices of reactions to failure using the between groups, instructional set x race. Results indicated significant differences for race with regards to self-instruction cognitions and time-on-task. Lastly, incidental task behaviors before, during, and after failure were analyzed for differences across the instructional sets. Observations revealed differential achievement behaviors and affect as a function of the instructional set.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Jagacinski, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Educational psychology|Special education
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