ACHIEVEMENT MOTIVATION OF INTELLECTUALLY GIFTED STUDENTS WHEN CONFRONTED WITH CHALLENGING AND UNCHALLENGING TASKS |
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| Authors: | Colleen Neitzke Una M Röhr‐Sendlmeier |
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| Institution: | 1. Institute of Education, University of Bonn , Am Hof 3‐5, 5300 Bonn 1 , Germany;2. Dipl.‐Psych., Im Nesselbornfeld 11, 6380 Bad Homburg v.d.H. , Germany |
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| Abstract: | Two groups of gifted adolescents solved two similar intelligence tests with differing levels of task difficulty in reverse order. Under both conditions the performance level on the less complex test was much lower, a result not observed in a control group of average intelligence. Behavioural observations revealed that the low performance of the gifted students was combined with lack of effort. This performance pattern is discussed with respect to recent postulates of achievement motivation theory, which empasize the impact not only of the achievement motive, but also of the informational value of a given task for evaluating own level of ability. It is argued that the perceived informational value of the easier test was not high enough to create an incentive for the gifted students to perform at the highest possible level |
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