Academic Contingency of Self-worth and Intrinsic Motivation in Academic Failure: Undermining and Enhancing Processes for Intrinsic Motivation and the Mediating Role of State Self-esteem and Emotions

Abstract

Basing a sense of self-worth on academic achievement could be detrimental for intrinsic motivation, especially when students face academic failure. The present study examined how the academic contingency of self-worth affected intrinsic motivation related to academic failure. The study focused on the role of state self-esteem and emotions that are known to be influenced by the academic contingency of self-worth in a survey of 125 junior high school students. The results confirmed both undermining and enhancing processes where the contingency of self-worth affected intrinsic motivation. For undermining processes, the academic contingency of self-worth lowered intrinsic motivation, mediated by state self-esteem and incompetence. For enhancing processes, the contingency of self-worth buffered the loss of intrinsic motivation, mediated by regret. ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]; Copyright of Japanese Journal of Personality is the property of Japan Society of Personality Psychology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)