Academic Intrinsic Motivation: Developmental Differences and Relations to Perceived Scholastic Competence, Locus of Control and Achievement

The construct of academic motivation has substantial validity and significance for children's effective school functioning. The scope of the present study was to address issues concerning academic motivational orientation in Greek elementary and junior high school children (grades six through nine). More specifically the study (a) examined the grade and sex effects on children's academic motivation, (b) sought to identify correlates of a child's motivational orientation, and (c) investigated the impact of academic motivation and locus of control on self-perception of scholastic competence. Support was found that: (a) preference for challenge and intrinsic interest in the subject material - the two dimensions of academic intrinsic motivation considered in our study - decline with grade level; (b) boys show higher preference for challenge than do girls, while sex differences in intrinsic interest in the subject material shift in the favour of boys with grade level (i.e. smaller differences in favour of girls); (c) academic intrinsic motivation is positively related to self-perception of scholastic competence and achievement, and negatively related to external locus of control; (d) the effects of academic motivation and locus of control on children's perception of their scholastic competence are additive and they do not interact with one another.