Within the framework of achievement motivation, the authors assessed gender and ethnic differences for preferential choices of social situations of achievement (e.g., academic, sport, art) and motivational goals pursued. A contents analysis of the essays of 202 pupils (boys and girls of Maghrebian and European origin) from a suburb of Paris was used. The subjects of Maghrebian origin tended to ...

This study examined localization of positive versus negative motivational functions mediated by GABA circuits within the accumbens shell. Microinjections of a GABA(A) agonist (0, 25, 75, and 225 ng/0.5 microl muscimol) in rostral shell sites elicited appetitive increases in eating behavior. In contrast, microinjections in caudal shell sites elicited defensive burying or paw-treading behavior. R...

The purpose of this study was to use cluster analysis to identify differences in goal orientation and motivational climate profiles among students in physical education classes as well as differences among the observed clusters on perceived flow experiences. 983 students of 14- to 15-yr.-olds (M = 14.8 yr., SD = 0.91) from a large Spanish metropolitan school district were participants and compl...

This study investigated the connection between wisdom as a body of expert knowledge about the meaning and conduct of life and indicators of affective, motivational, and interpersonal functioning. Structural equation analyses showed that individuals higher on wisdom-related knowledge reported (a) higher affective involvement combined with lower negative and pleasant feelings, (b) a value orienta...

This article proposed a motivational model of driving anger and aggression, derived from self-determination theory, suggesting that trait motivation affects motivation in specific driving situations, which in turn predicts driving anger and subsequent aggression. Individuals higher in controlled orientation were predicted to experience more feelings of pressure and ego-defensiveness while drivi...

The purpose of this study was to analyse from the perspective of the achievement goal theory and the self-determination theory some variables which could help to promote positive motivation and to improve dispositional flow in adolescent athletes. A sample of 413 young athletes (from 12 to 16 years of age) completed the Perceived Motivational Climate in Sport Questionnaire-2, Perception of Succ...

The aim of this paper is to present a motivational model of the coach-athlete relationship that describes how coaches may influence athletes' motivation. In line with cognitive evaluation theory (Deci and Ryan, 1980, 1985) and the hierarchical model of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation (Vallerand, 1997, 2000), a motivational sequence is proposed where coaches' personal orientation towards coac...

Background: Research is an important motivating factor for pursuing a career in academic medicine, but the relation between motivation and factors involved in scientific research are not clear. Purpose: To explore the motivational orientation for doing research and its relation with the attitudes towards science and publication practice among the faculty at a medical school. Methods: We used a ...

This study examined the moderating effects of motivational orientation on daily affect and goal pursuit. Based on recent revisions to Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory, measures of BIS (BIS-r and Fight-Flight-Freeze System or FFFS), BAS, and regulatory focus (Promotion and Prevention) were administered to 84 college students who participated in a 14-day diary study. Diary items assessed goal-dir...