Atkinson’s Theory of Achievement Motivation: First Step Toward a Theory of Academic Motivation?

Abstract

Educators generally agree that a major variable affecting classroom performance is motivation. However, important as motivational variables may be in understanding, predicting, and controlling classroom behavior, there is a paucity of information and theory associated with them. There are many theories of human motivation; but little attempt has been made to extend these theories in a systematic way to educational situations. Furthermore, the occasional application of psychological theory to education has not typically eventuated in a theory of academic motivation nor a unified and coherent body of information. As a result, there is very little in the way of motivation theory which is clearly of help to the classroom teacher or to education in general. The situation is not without hope, however. The work of several theorists has shown promise of evolving postulates and hypotheses relevant to the teaching-learning process. Prominent among these is the theory of achievement motivation, particularly as formulated by Atkinson (1957, 1964, 1965; Atkinson & Feather, 1966).1 This theory has provided a productive approach to a variety of behavioral phenomena; thus it has been suggested (e.g., Atkinson, 1966; Weiner, 1967) that it may also give direction to educationally relevant research. Can it indeed serve as a first step toward a theory of academic motivation? It is the goal of this paper to consider that question.