Characteristics of ego- and task-oriented students: a comparison of two methodologies.
A motivation questionnaire was completely by 79 grade five students. Responses were subjected to a factor analysis which was followed by a series of Pearson correlations between the resultant factor scores and measures of ability perceptions, self-worth, self-efficacy, success and failure attributions, positive and negative emotions, and preference for challenge. Responses were also subjected to a cluster analysis followed by a series of between-group contrasts with each of the aforementioned motivational constructs as the dependent variable and cluster membership as the independent variable. Factor analytic-correlational methodology was compared to cluster analysis with between-groups contrasts to determine the agreement between the two methods. While there was agreement in interpretation of the data, several discrepancies appeared. The conclusion is that cluster analysis may be a useful way to refine goal theory.
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Faculty of Education, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada.
D001240:Aspirations, Psychological; D002648:Child; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012649:Self Concept; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*