Social education in psychology

Social Education of Psychology

Melinda Solmon's article "Impact of Motivational Climate on Students' Behaviors and Perceptions in a Physical Education Setting" uses videotape to determine what impact different motivational climates have on student practice behaviors in physical education classes. The article, published in the Journal of Educational Psychology, details a study conducted by the author that was designed to build on past research in the same area, especially regarding goal theory. The difference between the current study and past attempts to discover the causal connections between motivational setting and student practice behavior is that Solmon employed direct observation rather than relying solely on self-report measures. Solmon's results are generally consistent with other literature in the area, confirming much of what was demonstrated by studies that use self-report measures.

The problem is clearly stated in Solmon's article as being related to students' development of adaptive vs. maladaptive learning strategies. Moreover, the author notes that based on prior research, "what the student does is a more important determinant of learning than what the teacher does," (731). Therefore, studying the reactions of students to different motivational climates can help educators understand that certain motivational climates are more conducive to adaptive behavior than others.

To provide a theoretical rationale and background for her research, first the author outlines the nature of goal theory and describes the two main climates of learning: task-involved, and ego-oriented. Terms are clearly defined on page 731: a task-involved goal perspective implies a "self-referenced criterion for success, with an emphasis on learning a skill and improving individual performance." Task-involved goal perspective is also called "mastery-oriented," and "learning goals" in the literature. Solmon notes that past research shows task-involved goal perspectives to be associated with adaptive motivational patterns such as exerting effort, seeking challenging tasks, persisting in the face of difficulty, and attributing success to effort (731). Because students exposed to a task-involved climate tend to demonstrate adaptive behavioral patterns, such as persisting in practice despite difficulties, the theoretical rationale for the current study is clear.

Likewise, an ego-oriented climate leads to students demonstrating more maladaptive behaviors when they experience failure or encounter difficulties performing tasks. An ego-involved goal perspective is described in detail as "the evaluation of success in comparison with the performance of others," and is also referred to as "ability goals," and "performance orientation" in the literature.

Furthermore, as self-report measures have their limitations, Solmon's study is warranted and worthwhile and builds upon past research. In particular, Solmon chose to focus on the differences in students' practice behaviors and perceptions of the motivational climate in physical education classes because the practice of motor skills is particularly "well-suited for the examination of active student involvement," (731). Therefore, Solmon's article clearly states the problem, its significance and theoretical rationale, and provides a brief but relevant review of literature.

Solmon's hypotheses are in line with the results of past studies that showed that students in task-involved climates tended to demonstrate more adaptive motivational patterns, whereas students in an ego-involved climate tend to exhibit more maladaptive behaviors such as giving up. The hypothesis is most clearly stated on page 733 (?): "Theoretical predictions were that students in task-involved climates would attribute success to motivation and effort, whereas those in an ego-involved climate would be more likely to attribute success to ability."

The Method section is well-written and the author clearly explains the reasons for her decisions. Participants in the study were 109 seventh and eighth-grade students, 30% of which were minorities, as was reflective of the community at large. Informed parental consent was obtained for each participant, so Solmon did ascribe to ethical standards. The design of the study included assigning students to instructional groups of six or seven students. Each group consisted of only one gender so that the researchers could determine whether any gender differences existed with respect to goal perspectives. Solmon notes that students were given juggling lessons because the task was unfamiliar and can be learned in a short period.

The teachers used were unaware of the research hypotheses to correct for any probable sources of error that could have resulted. Both teachers and students were interviewed separately to ascertain their perceptions and opinions of the different motivational climates. All classes were videotaped and questionnaires were also administered to both teachers and students. Solmon clearly defines her operational definitions in separate sections of the Methods area.