Motivational profiles of gifted students in science

Abstract

Little attention has been given to understanding motivational profiles among gifted students. Instead, much research suggests that gifted individuals are highly motivated and homogenous in their motivations. We clarified this by identifying four distinct profiles among gifted Year 9 and 10 students (N = 414) in science: Low Motivation, Low Self-Determination with Control, High Self-Determination, and High Self-Determination with High Motivation. In line with the study’s hypotheses, the High Self-Determination and High Self-Determination with High Motivation reported the most positive perceptions of need-supportive teaching and the highest engagement. In contrast, the Low Motivation and Low Self-Determination with Control yielded equally maladaptive engagement, illustrating that controlled motivation in the absence of self-determination did not yield any benefits relative to having low motivation overall. These findings underscore the need to consider the dynamic interactions among motivations at the person-centred level and qualitative differences in the motivation profiles of gifted students.