title: Brief report: Academic amotivation in light of the dark side of identity formation.
abstract: The study intended to determine motivational profiles of first-year undergraduates and aimed their characterization in terms of identity processes. First, a cluster analysis revealed five motivational profiles: combined (i.e., high quantity of motivation, low amotivation); intrinsic (i.e., high intrinsic, low introjected and external regulation, low amotivation); "demotivated" (i.e., very low quantity of motivation and amotivation); extrinsic (i.e., high extrinsic and identified regulation and low intrinsic and amotivation); and "amotivated" (i.e., low intrinsic and identified, very high amotivation). Second, using Lebart's (2000) methodology, the most characteristic identity processes were listed for each motivational cluster. Demotivated and amotivated profiles were refined in terms of adaptive and maladaptive forms of exploration. Notably, exploration in breadth and in depth were underrepresented in demotivated students compared to the total sample; commitment and ruminative exploration were under and overrepresented respectively in amotivated students. Educational and clinical implications are proposed and future research is suggested.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Psychology and NeuroCognition, CNRS, UMR 5105, University of Grenoble, BSHM, BP47, 38040 Grenoble Cedex 9, France. Electronic address: christine.cannard@upmf-grenoble.fr.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cannard
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Psychology EA 4139, University of Bordeaux, 3 ter Place de la Victoire, 33076 Bordeaux Cedex, France. Electronic address: lyda.lannegrand@u-bordeaux.fr.
authors.forename: Lyda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lannegrand-Willems
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Developmental Psychology and Socialization Process, University of Toulouse, Pavillon Jean Jaurès, 5 allées Antonio Machado, 31058 Toulouse Cedex 9, France. Electronic address: mottay@univ-tlse2.fr.
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Safont-Mottay
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychology, University of Lausanne, Geopolis, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland. Electronic address: Gregoire.Zimmermann@unil.ch.
authors.forename: Grégoire
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zimmermann
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D041923:Adolescent Development; D057565:Apathy; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D011581:Psychological Tests; D012649:Self Concept; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D014495:Universities
keywords: Amotivation; Identity profiles; Motivational profiles; Rumination; University