The effects of field dependence and achievement motivation on attributions of ability and effort

Wan-min Cheng, Purdue University

Abstract

This research involved two studies that investigated field independent-dependent (FI-FD) differences in achievement motivation. Witkin's theory of field dependence proposed that field-independent individuals tend to be intrinsically motivated and rely more on internal referents, and that field-dependent individuals tend to be extrinsically motivated and rely more on external referents. The hypotheses of these two studies were based on this position. The purpose of Study 1 was to investigate FI-FD differences in motivational orientation. It was expected that field-independent individuals would have a task orientation and that field-dependent individuals would have an ego orientation, an avoid inferiority orientation, and an easy-superiority orientation. The Hidden Figures Test (HFT) and the Motivational Orientation Scales were administered to 106 undergraduate students enrolled in elementary psychology courses. Field-independent and field-dependent individuals were identified by the HFT scores. No FI-FD differences in task orientation were obtained. Field-independent individuals were found to be more likely to have an easy-superiority orientation than field-dependent individuals. The purpose of Study 2 was to investigate FI-FD differences in performance and attributions of ability and effort under ego- or task-involving conditions. Fifty-four field-independent and 59 field-dependent individuals were selected from a sample of 239 undergraduate students enrolled in elementary psychology courses. They were randomly assigned to either the ego- or the task-involving condition. The ego-involving condition was designed to invoke extrinsic motivation, while the task-involving condition was designed to invoke intrinsic motivation. The Bomb Factories exercise was employed as a written measure of performance, which reflected levels of thinking. An attributional questionnaire that included ability and effort subscales was administered after the Bomb Factories exercise. No FI-FD differences on level of thinking were found for the ego-involving condition. For the task-involving condition, field-independent individuals showed a higher level of thinking than field-dependent individuals. There were no FI-FD differences on ability attribution under the ego-involving condition or on effort attribution under the task-involving condition. There was a positive relationship between ability and effort attributions for field-independent individuals under the task-involving condition. Field-independent individuals who judged their performance as good were found to score higher on ability than effort attribution under the task-involving condition. It was concluded that ego-involving situations have potentials to motivate field-dependent individuals, and task-involving situations have potentials to motivate field-independent individuals. The dimension of intrinsic-extrinsic motivation is not unidimensional. The directions for future research were recommended based on the limitations of this research.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Davis, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Educational psychology|Psychology

COinS