Question 1

Three of the following conditions appear to be important for the development of a learner's internalized motivation. Which one of the following is probably not an important condition for internalized motivation to develop?
A) Important people in the learner's life have expectations for his or her behavior and will impose consequences for inappropriate behavior.
B) The learner is capable of abstract thought; from a Piagetian perspective, the learner has advanced to the formal operations stage.
C) The learner has some autonomy in terms of choosing how to act in various situations.
D) The learner feels the warmth and support of important people in his or her environment.

Accepted Answer

While advanced abstract thought is important for many aspects of learning, it is not a necessary condition for the development of internalized motivation. The other three conditions (expectations and consequences, autonomy, and warmth and support) have all been shown to be important drivers of internalized motivation in learners.

Question 2

Mark and Meg are two eighth-grade students who have just failed a math test. Considering gender differences in students' explanations for failure, how are the two students likely to explain their poor test performance?
A) Mark will think he failed because he "just can't do math." Meg will think, "I got an F because I didn't work hard enough on this subject-I could have studied more."
B) Mark will attribute his failure to a lack of effort, thinking, "I didn't study very hard because I don't care about getting good grades." Meg will think, "I'm just not very good at math."
C) Mark will think that he isn't very lucky when it comes to tests, and Meg will think that she failed because she didn't have friends that could help her study.
D) Mark will think, "I got an F because I'm not smart enough to do this math." Meg will think, "I failed because the teacher hates me and the test wasn't fair."

Accepted Answer

According to research on gender differences in attributional styles, boys are more likely to attribute their failures to lack of effort whereas girls are more likely to attribute their failures to lack of ability. Therefore, Mark is more likely to think that he failed because he didn't care enough to study and Meg is more likely to think that she failed because she isn't naturally good at math. Choice A is incorrect because it reverses the likely attributional styles for boys and girls. Choice C is incorrect because it suggests irrelevant explanations for the failure. Choice D is incorrect because it attributes the failure to fixed traits rather than effort or ability.

Question 3

When 15-year-old Valerie discovers that she earned an A on last week's assignment, she expresses pride to her teacher and explains that she worked very hard on it. On the way home from school, however, she tells her friends that she didn't put much effort into the project at all and so is quite surprised about her high grade. From the perspective of research on attributions and image management, how can we best explain Valerie's conflicting statements?
A) She suspects that her friends have performance goals rather than mastery goals, and she is trying to go along with the crowd.
B) She knows that her teacher is more likely than her friends to have an entity view of intelligence, and she tailors her explanations accordingly.
C) She knows that her teacher values hard work but that her friends do not, and she tailors her explanations accordingly.
D) Her social goals are taking precedence over her achievement goals on both occasions.

Accepted Answer

The conflicting statements can be best explained by the fact that Valerie tailors her explanations based on the specific audience she is speaking to. She knows that her teacher values hard work, so she expresses pride and explains that she worked hard when speaking to the teacher. However, she knows that her friends do not value hard work as much as her teacher, so she downplays the effort she put into the project when speaking to them and expresses surprise about the high grade. This demonstrates her awareness of image management and the importance of tailoring her explanations to fit the values and expectations of different audiences.

Question 4

Which one of the following alternatives best describes the differences between people with a mastery orientation and those with learned helplessness?
A) People with a mastery orientation expect that they will have to work extremely hard to master new tasks. People with learned helplessness usually overestimate their abilities.
B) People with a mastery orientation set easily attainable goals and become frustrated when they don't attain those goals effortlessly. People with learned helplessness set goals that are almost impossible to attain.
C) People with a mastery orientation attribute their successes to external, uncontrollable factors. People with an attitude of learned helplessness attribute failures to internal, controllable factors.
D) People with a mastery orientation set high goals and seek challenges. People with learned helplessness underestimate their ability and set low goals.

Accepted Answer

People with a mastery orientation tend to set high goals for themselves and actively seek out challenges to improve their skills, whereas those with learned helplessness tend to have low self-efficacy and set goals that are easily attainable or do not challenge them. Learned helplessness is characterized by a belief that one's actions do not matter and that success is outside of one's control, while people with a mastery orientation believe that success is achievable through effort and persistence.

Question 5

Three of the following examples illustrate ways in which self-regulated learners can control their own motivation. Which one does not?
A) Linda enjoys doing her math homework, but she finds her Spanish homework boring.
B) Sanford continually reminds himself that doing well in his classes is important if he wants to get into medical school.
C) Reese, Malcolm, and Dewey turn their group study session into a mock quiz-show format.
D) When choosing a topic for her research paper, Nancy picks something she will enjoy reading about.

Accepted Answer

While Linda may be able to control her motivation to some extent by finding ways to make her Spanish homework more engaging, simply enjoying one subject more than another is not a deliberate self-regulatory strategy for controlling motivation. The other examples all involve intentional efforts to regulate or control motivation.

Question 6

A student who has developed learned helplessness about his or her spelling ability is most likely to say which of the following?
A) "I have to work harder than my friends to learn to spell."
B) "I can learn how to spell words correctly without even trying."
C) "No matter how much I study words, I can't remember how to spell them."
D) "I would learn to spell eventually, but it's not worth the time it would take to do so."

Accepted Answer

A student with learned helplessness about their spelling ability may feel like they can't improve no matter how hard they try. Option C reflects this feeling of helplessness by stating that no matter how much they study spelling, they won't be able to remember how to spell words correctly. Options A and D suggest a willingness to work or improve, even if it may be challenging, which is not in line with learned helplessness. Option B suggests overconfidence, which is also not a characteristic of learned helplessness.

Question 7

Three of the following students are exhibiting emotional regulation as it relates to their self-regulation of motivation. Which is not?
A) Jennifer is studying for an important final exam. She is anxious about the exam, but puts her anxious thoughts out of her head to focus on studying.
B) When Logan received a low score on a quiz, he thought to himself, "I really need to study harder for the next quiz".
C) When Max received a low score on a written assignment he was only upset for a few hours and then thought to himself, "the next assignment is on my favorite book, so I will do well".
D) Paula does not like math and never gets upset when she gets a bad grade on a math test.

Accepted Answer

Paula is not exhibiting emotional regulation as she is not showing any emotional response to getting a bad grade. Emotional regulation involves recognizing and managing one's emotions, which Paula is not doing in this scenario.

Question 8

Marlita failed her English literature exam. Given what research tells us about the role of self-protective bias as a factor affecting students' attributions, how is Marlita least likely to explain her failure?
A) She had bad luck.
B) She didn't study enough.
C) The teacher writes bad exams.
D) The room was too noisy during the exam.

Accepted Answer

Self-protective bias leads individuals to attribute their failures to external factors rather than their own lack of effort or ability. Therefore, Marlita is least likely to blame her failure on not studying enough, as this would be an internal attribution.

Question 9

Three of the following statements accurately describe how a child can acquire learned helplessness in a particular domain. Which statement is not a likely explanation of learned helplessness?
A) A child has consistently focused on mastery goals, without regard for important performance goals.
B) A child has consistently encountered failure despite hard work and persistence.
C) A parent has consistently encouraged a child to give up when success doesn't come quickly and easily.
D) A child sees most or all peers consistently encountering failure in the domain.

Accepted Answer

Focusing on mastery goals without regard for performance goals is not a likely explanation for learned helplessness, as it is a positive approach to learning and growth. Consistently encountering failure despite hard work and persistence, experiencing parental discouragement, and seeing peers consistently fail are all potential sources of learned helplessness.

Question 10

Considering research regarding when the effects teacher-expectation are most likely to occur, which teachers should be most careful to communicate high expectations for students' performance?
A) First and second grade teachers
B) Third and fourth grade teachers
C) Teachers of students who are beginning their second year of high school
D) Teachers of students who are finishing their final year of high school

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that the effects of teacher-expectations are most likely to occur in the early years of schooling, particularly in first and second grade. This is because young students are still developing their self-concept and are more susceptible to the influence of the expectations that their teachers communicate. Therefore, first and second grade teachers should be most careful to communicate high expectations for their students' performance.

Question 11

Three of the following illustrate a product goal toward which learners might strive. Which one illustrates a process goal?
A) Trying to get one's form right in serving a tennis ball
B) Trying to earn scores of 95% or higher on weekly spelling tests
C) Trying to get an editorial published in the local newspaper
D) Trying to win a race

Accepted Answer

A process goal focuses on improving a specific skill or technique, rather than achieving a specific outcome. Trying to get one's form right in serving a tennis ball is focused on improving one's technique rather than winning a match or tournament, making it a process goal. The other options all focus on achieving a specific outcome, making them product goals.

Question 12

When Scott was first learning how to write, he wrote quickly and sloppily, without regard for how his papers looked. But his teachers praised him regularly for writing carefully and legibly, and eventually he began to pride himself on his neat and careful handwriting. This transition can best be described as:
A) acquiring an external locus of control
B) developing internalized motivation
C) developing situational interest
D) developing extrinsic motivation

Accepted Answer

Scott's transition from writing quickly and sloppily to taking pride in his neat and careful handwriting suggests that he developed internalized motivation, meaning he now values the act of writing carefully for its own sake rather than just to please others or receive external rewards.

Question 13

Researchers have identified several reasons why students may avoid seeking help when they need it during a learning task. Three of the following are among the reasons they've identified. Which one is not such a reason?
A) Students worry that others may belittle their requests for help.
B) Students want to maintain their sense of autonomy and independence.
C) Students are worried that asking for help might make them look foolish or incompetent.
D) Students have mastery goals, but not performance goals, relative to the subject matter.

Accepted Answer

The identified reasons for not seeking help all relate to social or emotional concerns, such as fear of judgment or loss of independence. Mastery and performance goals, while they may influence students' motivation to seek help, are not one of the identified reasons.

Question 14

The textbook recommends that teachers encourage students to set and work toward proximal goals. Which one of the following illustrates a proximal goal?
A) Becoming a reporter for a national news channel such as CNN
B) Maintaining a 4.0 GPA throughout the high school years
C) Learning the symbols for all the elements in a chemistry class
D) Shooting for admission to a local community college rather than a prestigious and highly selective private college

Accepted Answer

Learning the symbols for all the elements in a chemistry class is a specific, short-term goal that can be achieved in a reasonable amount of time, making it a proximal goal. A and B are long-term goals that may take years to accomplish and are therefore not proximal. D is not specific enough and does not necessarily reflect a student's personal aspirations or abilities, so it is not the best choice for a proximal goal.

Question 15

Mona is showing signs of learned helplessness. Which one of the following would we be least likely to see her do?
A) Learn more slowly than other children.
B) Be slow to exhibit behaviors that are likely to be reinforced.
C) Express anger and aggression.
D) Be fearful and withdrawn.

Accepted Answer

Learned helplessness often leads to feelings of hopelessness and uncontrollable situations can lead to expressions of anger and aggression. Therefore, it is unlikely that Mona would be expressing anger and aggression if she is experiencing learned helplessness. The other options are all possible signs of learned helplessness.

Question 16

Mr. Richardson does not expect much of his students from a poor, inner-city neighborhood. Given what we know about the effects of teacher expectations, which outcome is most likely?
A) His students are likely to learn information in a rote rather than meaningful manner.
B) His students are likely to develop more positive self-concepts than they would otherwise.
C) His students are more likely to develop a realistic understanding of their own strengths and weaknesses than they would otherwise.
D) His students are likely to achieve at a lower level than they would otherwise.

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that teacher expectations can have a significant impact on student achievement. If Mr. Richardson does not expect much of his students from a poor, inner-city neighborhood, they are likely to achieve at a lower level than they would otherwise. This is because his low expectations may lead him to provide less challenging material and to offer less support and encouragement to his students, which can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy where the students internalize and live up to his low expectations.

Question 17

In which one of the following situations does a teacher's behavior reflect low expectations for a student's classroom performance?
A) Ms. Littlefield assigns Owen a difficult math problem.
B) Mr. Oya frequently engages René in conversation before class.
C) Ms. Ingalls rarely gives Joseph any feedback about his performance.
D) Mr. Montoya gives Mei-Yau many opportunities to answer questions in class.

Accepted Answer

When a teacher gives little to no feedback to a student about their performance, it can indicate that the teacher does not have high expectations for that student. The other answer choices do not necessarily suggest low expectations. Assigning a difficult math problem (A) could be a sign of high expectations if the teacher believes the student is capable of solving it. Engaging in conversation with a student (B) could simply be a friendly gesture and not related to expectations for performance. Giving a student many opportunities to answer questions in class (D) could be an attempt to encourage participation and engagement, which could indicate high expectations.

Question 18

Mr. James gives weekly quizzes in his social studies classes. Which one of the following boys is most likely to develop learned helplessness about his performance on those quizzes?
A) Alan usually gets As on the quizzes, but he once wrote down the wrong reading assignment and so failed a quiz over material he hadn't read.
B) Benjamin studies very hard, but due to a reading disability he has trouble understanding what he reads and usually fails the quizzes in spite of his efforts.
C) Corin never studies for the quizzes because he thinks social studies is a boring subject.
D) Darren usually gets at least a C on the quizzes, but he rarely does as well as his friend Eddie.

Accepted Answer

Benjamin is the most likely to develop learned helplessness because he puts in effort but still struggles due to a reading disability. This may lead him to feel that his efforts are fruitless and he is helpless to improve his performance.

Question 19

Which of the following epistemic belief systems would lead to mastery goals rather than performance goals?
A) " Knowledge is an accumulation of unrelated facts"
B) "Facts are indisputable"
C) "All experts within a field agree on all issues and topics"
D) "Knowledge involves interconnected ideas"

Accepted Answer

The belief that knowledge involves interconnected ideas is consistent with a mastery goal orientation. This belief suggests that understanding and connecting concepts is more important than simply recalling facts or performing well on tests. Mastery goal orientations are focused on learning and developing understanding, rather than simply trying to achieve a high grade or outperform others (which would be consistent with a performance goal orientation).

Question 20

Rosamie does her homework primarily to gain her teacher's approval. She has little internal desire to do her homework, although she does feel slight twinges of guilt when she fails to get an assignment done on time. If we consider the sequence that Deci and Ryan have described for the development of internalized motivation, Rosamie appears to be showing:
A) external regulation
B) introjection
C) identification
D) integration

Accepted Answer

Rosamie's motivation appears to be based on external factors, such as gaining her teacher's approval, and she experiences slight twinges of guilt when she fails to complete an assignment. This aligns with the stage of introjection, where individuals may do something to avoid guilt or to gain approval from others, but the motivation is not yet fully internalized.

Quiz 16: Cognitive Factors in Motivation

Three of the following conditions appear to be important for the development of a learner's internalized motivation. Which one of the following is probably not an important condition for internalized motivation to develop?

Mark and Meg are two eighth-grade students who have just failed a math test. Considering gender differences in students' explanations for failure, how are the two students likely to explain their poor test performance?

Which one of the following alternatives best describes the differences between people with a mastery orientation and those with learned helplessness?

Three of the following examples illustrate ways in which self-regulated learners can control their own motivation. Which one does not?

A student who has developed learned helplessness about his or her spelling ability is most likely to say which of the following?

Three of the following students are exhibiting emotional regulation as it relates to their self-regulation of motivation. Which is not?

Marlita failed her English literature exam. Given what research tells us about the role of self-protective bias as a factor affecting students' attributions, how is Marlita least likely to explain her failure?

Three of the following statements accurately describe how a child can acquire learned helplessness in a particular domain. Which statement is not a likely explanation of learned helplessness?

Considering research regarding when the effects teacher-expectation are most likely to occur, which teachers should be most careful to communicate high expectations for students' performance?

Three of the following illustrate a product goal toward which learners might strive. Which one illustrates a process goal?

Researchers have identified several reasons why students may avoid seeking help when they need it during a learning task. Three of the following are among the reasons they've identified. Which one is not such a reason?

The textbook recommends that teachers encourage students to set and work toward proximal goals. Which one of the following illustrates a proximal goal?

Mona is showing signs of learned helplessness. Which one of the following would we be least likely to see her do?

Mr. Richardson does not expect much of his students from a poor, inner-city neighborhood. Given what we know about the effects of teacher expectations, which outcome is most likely?

In which one of the following situations does a teacher's behavior reflect low expectations for a student's classroom performance?

Mr. James gives weekly quizzes in his social studies classes. Which one of the following boys is most likely to develop learned helplessness about his performance on those quizzes?

Which of the following epistemic belief systems would lead to mastery goals rather than performance goals?