In its context, Achievement Motivation Theory supports the idea that, people strive to achieve with an objective of realizing a meaningful goal. Individuals focused on achievement demonstrate a strong urge to set goals, and take part in challenging undertakings, which involve risk-taking, and ensuring objectives are achieved and set projects completed. For decades, psychologists have strived to conduct substantial research focused on reasons that push individuals to have inherent need to success. In often cases, some people demonstrate the inherent need of succeeding, and their dominant motivation is achievement, with minimal force from outside to see things are done. Although psychologists and scientists have discovered various theories aimed at inspiring individuals in various fields, this study focuses on reviewing various academic and scholarly sources demonstrating the way Achievement Motivation Theory has been employed to drive academic achievement, sports and in managing employees.
Key words: achievement, motivation, student, sport, and workers/employees
Achievement Motivation Theory in Sports
According to Gropel et al. (2016), understanding motivation in sport participation is significant in promoting health and performance improvement. The authors observe that, one important element of motivation is achievement. Whenever people participate in various exercise, health programs, and their driving force is having the opportunity to achieve something. Notably, the three authors embarked on conducting three studies to investigate the relationship between sport participation and achievement motive. Expectedly, explicit and implicit achievement motives are positively related to the way individuals take part in sport activities. The study demonstrated that, implicit achievement motive continuously showed sport participation. Sport people with high implicit achievement motive were determined to participate in sport events on frequent basis, compared to those with low implicit achievement motive. In all the three studies, it was found out that; explicit achievement motive was not correlated to participation in sport. While taken as one, the results show that, unconscious and implicit need to achieve pushed individuals to engage in sport activities regularly.
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Gropel et al. (2016) hypothesized that, there exists congruence between the implicit and explicit achievement tendencies that support participation in sport. In that sense, the three scholars embarked on testing whether sports people concerned with both explicit and implicit achievement motives take part in sport activities on frequent basis compared to the ones with low explicit and implicit achievement motives or both. There lacked any evidence to support such hypothesis in their studies. In that sense, the three concluded that, while motivational congruence is likely to promote flow experience and well-being in sport activities, it does not demonstrate the reasons people take part in sports regularly. The findings of the studies were mainly collected from 205 athletes. The authors measured the implicit achievement motive using Operant Motive Tests, Picture Story Exercise, and Multi Motive Grid, which are recognized globally as standard tests of implicit motives. The researchers used self-report to measure explicit achievement motive. They utilized samples from student and nonstudent, including athletes at elite and amateur levels. In their observation, McClelland’s theory is helpful in explaining the lost relationship between sport participation and explicit achievement motive in the research they conducted. Notably, explicit motives are supposed to be associated with immediate choice behavior and responses as opposed to long-term behavior. Notably, explicit achievement motive was effective in predicting higher achievement levels and in choosing more challenging goal distance in soccer, basketball, and handball. In that sense, the research by this study was more inclined towards long-term rather than short-term trends in individual behaviors.
In view of Uher et al. (2018), there tends to be a consensus that motivation is mainly goal directed, and it depends with the environment. The study deducts that, motivation enables the direction, initiation, persistence, and intensity of behavior. For that reason, it involves the emotional, social, biological, and cognitive forces, which trigger behavior. When it comes to achievement motivation theory, it operates on two principles that contribute towards achievement and they comprise of the motive to bring success and the motive to avoid failure. The idea of achieving success triggers the intrinsic motivation, and is equivalent to the notion of having personal competence, self-efficacy, and self-confidence. When it comes to sports, individuals involved are mainly trying to achieve success, through engaging in competitive state. In often cases, extrinsic motivation brings the whole difference in the world of sports. Individuals are motivated by praise, monetary gains, importance, and usefulness among others to keep pressing and aiming higher.
Achievement Motivation Theory in Academic Achievement
According to Singh (2011), drive is one of the most significant factors that lead individuals toward their goals. This drive is called motivation, and it refers to determination and zest that often leads individuals to pursue greater heights regardless of their position in their professional or personal life. Notably, individuals tend to realize their goals through a combination of factors. Notably, motivation comes into forms, which are intrinsic and extrinsic, and in both instances, it leads to activation of goal-oriented tendencies. Singh (2011) deducts that, both educators and parents are supposed to understand the significance of encouraging and promoting academic motivation right from the tender age. In often cases, students develop values, self-concepts, and beliefs regarding their abilities while still at a tender age. Students are supposed to get academic motivation irrespective of their age, in order to succeed. Singh (2011) observes that, research conducted on student shows that, students with academic motivation stand a chance to increase their academic achievement, and they are not likely to drop out of school.
Notably, the importance of early academic motivation and its implication in the future academic success is supposed to come out clearly. The study by Singh (2011) acknowledges that, different forms of academic motivation show different implications for academic achievements. In their context, intrinsically motivated students tend to show higher test scores and grades, they demonstrate confidence regarding abilities to learn new material, and they tend to take part on moderate challenging tasks. As revealed by Febriana (2017), motivation plays a significant role in student learning. In often cases, academic achievements are heavily associated with way students behave, their thinking and feeling. In his study, the author notes that, learners with problems at school are associated with low motivation. In a bid to boost their motivation, teachers should offer support in form of awards, give feedback and ensure the students have sense they are capable (Febriana, 2017).
When it comes to student performance, Febriana (2017) is of the idea that, achievement motivation influences the performance. In its context, achievement motivation is helpful in explaining and understanding of students. Notably, whenever students have high motivation, the same is seen in achievement of higher learning results. While unmotivated, learners display little concern to act. Polednova, Stranska & Niedeobova (2014), supports the foregoing sentiment that achievement motivation plays a vital role in the performance and success of students. The three supports the observation made by McClelland that a couple of achievement needs, mainly the need for success, and the one to avoid failure forms motivational tendencies. They are of the idea that, it is significant to identify the student’s level of general achievement motivation whenever intervention concerning the academic achievement orientation is required. Currently, achievement motivation is an important issue touching on the modern society success.
Polednova, Stranska & Niedeobova (2014) acknowledges that, research on student motivation while at school was in the past focused mainly on self-reports, and measuring explicit motives. While at it, educational achievement does not only involve students, teachers are equally part of the equation. In their study, Raeisi et al (2012) admit that, for a country to succeed in education, motivated and efficient teachers are needed, so that they can prepare students for a better future. In that sense, school management has to understand that, for them to perform their tasks efficiently, teachers need motivation. Notably, human behavior is mostly established under the influence of motivation to achieve certain goals. In that sense, planners, and practitioners should embrace motivational factors among teachers and by so doing, the productivity of teachers is improved. However, for most managers, they fall short of identifying the best approach of motivating teachers. In that sense, they need to familiarize with David McClelland’s theory, which strives for individual recognition in terms of need for power, communication, and success. By meeting the afore-listed, teacher’s performance, and satisfaction is enhanced.
Achievement Motivation Theory in the Work Places
According to Acquah (2017), most workers have the need for achievement and as such, the management has a role of ensuring that, opportunities to achieve the same are created for them. In the same vein, the study recognizes that, employees need power, and as such, it should be satisfied and exercised. In the context of school, managers have the role of ensuring that the three major needs as outlined by McClelland are identified by fellow employees, and subordinates. They should strive to create an environment that appeals to McClelland’s needs. In the study, Acquah (2017) is of the idea that, for any organization to succeed, it needs motivated workers. In that sense, human resource management has a vital role of ensuring that all workers are motivated. Within the corporate world, staff motivation has become a determining factor for any success to be realized. With proper motivation, the organization has a guarantee that workers will be loyal, committed and performance levels automatically increases.
According to Fyans (2013) and Smith (2015), the two concur with the assertion that, motivation contributes towards highly structured relationships such as the ones found in the education and industries. Specifically, within education, managers employ the motivation techniques to enhance cooperation between the employer and the staff. Notably, Smith (2015) acknowledges that, individuals at the places of work, who are concerned with achieving a certain goal without expecting any rewards, have high need for achievement. In their study, Moore, Grabsch & Rotter (2010) observe that, just as students, employees are guided by the variables that include the need to approach success and that of avoiding failure. The three authors agree that, achievement motivation emanates from an internal psychological drive, which enable employees to pursue work with an aim of realizing a set goal.
In the same vein, Osabiya (2015) and Pakdel (2013) deduct that, motivation mainly causes employees to make decisions based on the alternatives available on the most appropriate way to utilize their time and energy. The two are of the sentiment that, for managers to understand their human behavior and ways workers could be motivated, they have a role of understanding their inclinations and needs. According to Pakdel (2013), just as McClelland in his theory observes, some employees have a goal of being successful through competition, while still maintaining standards of excellence. However, he is of the opinion that, for workers, competition with a standard of excellence is only notable while the employee is in competition with colleagues. In that sense, it can be concluded that, employees always have the desire to satisfy need for achievement, affiliation, and power.
Conclusion
In overall, Achievement Motivation Theory holds that, one important element of motivation is achievement. In the field of sports, individuals are always motivated to work hard aware that, they will receive accolades, and other titles associated with success in the field of sports. In education, both educators and parents are supposed to understand the significance of encouraging and promoting academic motivation right from the tender age. By so doing, they motivate students to achieve and realize academic success. In places work, the management is supposed to create a suitable environment to motivate the employees towards achievement. Indeed, achievement motivation emanates from an internal psychological drive, which enables employees to pursue work with an aim of realizing a set goal.
Annotated Bibliography: Achievement Motivation Theory
Moore, L. L., Grabsch, D.K. & Rotter, C. (2010). Using Achievement Motivation Theory to Explain Student Participation in a Residential Leadership Learning Community. Journal of Leadership Education. Volume 9, Issue 2
The article delves on a study conducted to examine the motive of students in taking part in a residential leadership learning community of freshmen using the Achievement Motivation Theory. The research question governing the study is ‘‘what was your primary motive for participating in the Leadership Living Learning Community?’’
The source is a credible and useful to this research considering it is a peer-reviewed scholarly journal. It has accurate and recent details properly analyzed using deductive content analysis. The authors have used previous studies to further their arguments and to support various conclusions evident in the article. In the same vein, the authors are associated with Texas A&M University, a credible institution recognized for public research.
This scholarly journal will help to support the fact that, individuals engage in certain tasks with an intention to achieve a set objective. Specifically, it will support the points on participating in given activities with an aim of fulfilling needs of Achievement, Power, and Affiliation.
Smith, R.L. (2015). A Contextual Measure of Achievement Motivation: Significance for Research in Counseling. Ideas and Research You Can Use: VISTAS
The focus of the study is mainly on Contextual Achievement Motivation Survey (CAMS), which is based on McClelland’s theory of achievement motivation. CAMS is mostly used by counselors when they are assessing programs associated with increasing achievement motivation. In overall, the article is focused on application of CAMS is various settings such as schools, hospital, private practices, universities and businesses.
The accuracy, reliability, and credibility of the information presented in the source is evident considering the author is a professor, and chair of department in Counseling and Educational Psychology at the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. The article recent considering the study was conducted four years ago. It is written in unbiased way, owing to the inclusion of various public settings.
The source would aid in supporting the idea that, the theory is applicable in various settings among them counseling, and within families, schools, families, recreation, and places of work. Additionally, it will demonstrate the application of McClelland’s theory in establishing various instruments of measuring achievement motivation.
Fyans (2013). Achievement Motivation: Recent Trends in Theory and Research. Heidelberg, Germany: Springer Science & Business Media
In summary, the text represents state of art of achievement motivation theory and research. It recognizes the fact that, achievement motivation theory has rich history that stretches back for over a quarter century. Although it majorly focused on need for achievement, it has since been applied in fields of economics and child rearing patterns.
The text is credible and reliable because it provides background information regarding the theory, and the way it has evolved since its emergence. Its accuracy is evident, especially due to its recognition that, with all the exponential growth in both the theory and research, there lacks a single volume with all details regarding recent developments on the theory.
This text will play a significant role in supporting opposing viewpoints that motivation contributes very little towards behavior change. The text has experiments and contextual analysis showing the way motivation influences behavior.
Singh, K. (2011). Study of Achievement Motivation in Relation to Academic Achievement of Students. International Journal of Educational Planning & Administration. Volume 1, Number 2, pp. 161-171
The source focuses on the use of drive to achieve goals. It recognizes that, motivation is a constant need for individuals to remain in action. Notably, every person has a variable driving force. According to the source, there are various theories of motivation namely Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, Alderfer’s ERG Theory, Hezberg’s motivator-hygiene theory, and McClellands’s Achievement Motivation theory.
Notably, the article is credible, authentic, reliable, and accurate, considering it is a peer reviewed journal. The author of the study, Kulwinder Singh, is a researcher scholar in Sighania University, Rajasthan, India.
Notably, the source will contribute to this study significantly, in supporting the fact that, most individuals are driven by motivation to achieve various things in life. Specifically, the source backs the aspect that, even learners have educational expectations and academic success is heavily determined by the level of motivation.
Uher, I et al. (2018). Motivation and its Basic Theories. Journal of Physical Fitness, Medicine & Treatment in Sports. Volume 1 Issue 5
This scholarly journal examines achievement motivation and attribution motivation, to demonstrate that the two are different. The study concludes that, motivation is naturally multi-factorial. In overall, it characterizes motivation as a basic force behind human pursuit.
This source is recent, considering it was published in 2018. It is accurate, credible, reliable, and authentic, because besides being a peer reviewed, the authors are professionals associated with recognized institutions such as PJ Safarik University, and University of Preslov among others.
Notably, the article will be useful to the study, as it will support the argument that, the probability of success in any field is determined by motivation. Individuals who have low motives of achieving success, and have high motivation to avoid failure, should be guided into high or low success probability.
References
Acquah, A. (2017). Implications of the Achievement Motivation Theory for School management in Ghana. A Literature Review. Research on Humanities and Social Sciences. Vol. 7, No. 5.
Febriana, B. W. (2017). Analysis of student’s achievement motivation in learning chemistry. International Journal of Science and Applied Science: Conference Series . Vol. 1 No. 2, 117-123
Fyans (2013). Achievement Motivation: Recent Trends in Theory and Research. Heidelberg, Germany: Springer Science & Business Media
Gropel, P., Wegner, M. & Schuler, J. (2016). Achievement motive and sport participation. Psychology of Sport and Exercise 27, 93-100
Moore, L. L., Grabsch, D.K. & Rotter, C. (2010). Using Achievement Motivation Theory to Explain Student Participation in a Residential Leadership Learning Community. Journal of Leadership Education. Volume 9, Issue 2
Osabiya, B. J. (2015). The effect of employees’ motivation on organizational performance. Journal of Public Administration and Policy Research. Vol. 7(4) pp. 62-75
Pakdel, B. (2013). The Historical Context of Motivation and Analysis Theories Individual Motivation. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Vol. 3 No. 18
Polednova, I., Stranska, Z. & Niedeobova, H. (2014). Achievement Motivation of Secondary School Students in Relation to Their Social Position in the Class. Problems of Psychology in the 21 St Century , Vol. 8, No. 1
Raeisi, M., Hadai, N., Faraji, R. & Salehian, M. H. (2012). McClelland’s motivational needs: A case study of physical education teachers in West Azarbaijan. European Journal of Experimental Biology , 2 (4):1231-1234
Singh, K. (2011). Study of Achievement Motivation in Relation to Academic Achievement of Students. International Journal of Educational Planning & Administration. Volume 1, Number 2, pp. 161-171
Smith, R.L. (2015). A Contextual Measure of Achievement Motivation: Significance for Research in Counseling. Ideas and Research You Can Use: VISTAS
Uher, I et al. (2018). Motivation and its Basic Theories. Journal of Physical Fitness, Medicine & Treatment in Sports. Volume 1 Issue 5
