Student Motivation & Engagement Flashcards

A GED instructor notices that a student with high self-efficacy is consistently underperforming on assessments despite strong effort. According to attribution theory, which intervention is MOST likely to address the root cause?

Answer: Helping the student examine whether their study strategies are effective rather than just their effort level

When a high-self-efficacy student exerts strong effort but still underperforms, attribution theory points to strategy (method) rather than effort as the unstable, controllable factor to address. Simply praising effort (A) reinforces a growth mindset but doesn't fix an ineffective approach. Reducing difficulty (C) risks undermining the challenge needed for real growth. Social comparison (D) can damage motivation rather than help. Redirecting attribution toward strategy quality targets the actual gap.

In a GED classroom, a student who previously showed intrinsic motivation for math begins receiving small cash rewards for completing assignments. Over the following weeks, the student's voluntary engagement with math drops significantly. This outcome BEST illustrates which psychological phenomenon?

Answer: The overjustification effect

The overjustification effect (Deci & Ryan) occurs when introducing external rewards for an already intrinsically motivated behavior causes the person to reattribute their motivation externally ('I do it for the reward'), ultimately undermining intrinsic interest when rewards cease or become expected. Learned helplessness (A) involves giving up after repeated failure. Cognitive dissonance (B) is about conflicting beliefs. Reactance (D) is a response to perceived threats to freedom, not reward introduction.

A GED teacher implements a mastery-based grading system where students may retake assessments until they demonstrate proficiency. A student with a strong performance-avoidance goal orientation is MOST likely to respond in which of the following ways?

Answer: Avoiding retakes because repeated attempts signal incompetence to themselves and others

Performance-avoidance goals are centered on avoiding appearing incompetent relative to others. A mastery-based retake system, while pedagogically sound, can paradoxically threaten performance-avoidance students: each retake publicly signals that they failed initially, which is exactly the outcome they fear. They are therefore likely to avoid retakes even at the cost of a lower grade. Options A and C describe mastery-goal responses. Option D assumes collaborative willingness that contradicts avoidance tendencies.

Research on expectancy-value theory (Eccles et al.) identifies four components of subjective task value. A GED student states: 'I know I *could* pass the math section if I tried, but math has nothing to do with the job I want.' Which component of task value is LOWEST for this student, and what is the BEST instructional response?

Answer: Utility value is low; the teacher should explicitly connect math content to the student's career goals

The student explicitly frames their disengagement in terms of relevance to future goals ('nothing to do with the job I want'), which is a utility value problem — the perceived usefulness of the task for future plans. The student's self-efficacy is intact (they believe they *could* succeed), ruling out expectancy as the issue. The best response is to demonstrate real-world connections between math skills and the student's stated career. Attainment value (A) concerns identity; intrinsic value (C) concerns enjoyment; cost (D) concerns sacrifice.

A GED instructor is working with a student who exhibits 'amotivation' according to Self-Determination Theory (SDT). The instructor wants to begin moving the student along the motivational continuum. Which sequence of supports BEST reflects the SDT-informed approach?

Answer: First establish relatedness by building a genuine connection, then provide structured tasks where competence can be experienced, before gradually introducing choice

SDT holds that amotivated individuals have no perceived connection between their actions and outcomes. The pathway out begins with relatedness (feeling valued and connected), which lowers threat and opens receptiveness. Competence experiences (structured early wins) then create the sense of efficacy needed before autonomy (choice) can be meaningfully exercised. Autonomy given before competence (A) overwhelms an amotivated student. External rewards (C) address only extrinsic regulation and risk the overjustification effect. Challenge without foundation (D) likely deepens helplessness.

During a GED class discussion, a teacher notices that two students — one with an incremental (growth) mindset and one with an entity (fixed) mindset — both receive identical negative feedback on a writing draft. Which pattern of subsequent behavior MOST accurately reflects Dweck's research predictions for these two students?

Answer: The incremental-mindset student will increase effort and seek strategies; the entity-mindset student will disengage or use self-handicapping behaviors to protect their self-image

Dweck's research consistently shows that after failure, incremental-mindset individuals interpret the setback as information about effort and strategy — they increase engagement and seek better approaches. Entity-mindset individuals interpret the same failure as evidence of fixed, low ability, which threatens their self-concept. To protect their image, they often disengage ('I didn't really try') or employ self-handicapping (creating excuses in advance). Option A mischaracterizes the entity response. Option C is partially plausible but omits self-handicapping and overgeneralizes recovery. Option D has no support in Dweck's framework.