Look over the motivational processes involved in achievement for adolescents, such as mindset, goals, expectations, self-efficacy, and the ability to delay gratification. Reflecting on the factors defined in this section, which was the most important motivation process during adolescence for you and why? Read about the social motives and relationships that play a role in adolescent achievement. Did parents, peers, teachers, or mentors play a role in your achievement? Reflect on the strategies presented in this section for dealing with motivational obstacles. Which of these strategies has been successful for you and why?
The motivational processes involved in achievement for adolescents
The social motives and relationships that play a role in adolescent achievement include:
- Parents: Parents can play a big role in their children's achievement by providing support, encouragement, and expectations.
- Peers: Peers can also play a role in achievement, both positively and negatively. Positive peer relationships can provide support and motivation, while negative peer relationships can lead to distractions and discouragement.
- Teachers: Teachers can play a key role in motivating students by providing challenging and interesting work, providing feedback, and creating a positive learning environment.
- Mentors: Mentors can also play a role in achievement by providing guidance, support, and encouragement.
The strategies presented in this section for dealing with motivational obstacles include:
- Set realistic goals: Break down large goals into smaller, more manageable steps.
- Find a mentor: Find someone who can provide guidance and support.
- Take breaks: When you're feeling overwhelmed, take a break to clear your head.
- Reward yourself: When you achieve a goal, reward yourself with something you enjoy.
- Visualize success: Imagine yourself achieving your goals.
- Talk to someone: Talk to a friend, family member, or therapist about your struggles.
The most important motivational process during adolescence for me was self-efficacy. I believed in my ability to succeed, even when things were tough. This belief helped me to set challenging goals and persist in the face of challenges.
My parents, peers, teachers, and mentors all played a role in my achievement. My parents provided me with support and encouragement, my peers challenged me to do my best, my teachers helped me to develop my skills, and my mentors provided me with guidance and support.
The strategy that has been most successful for me is visualizing success. When I imagine myself achieving my goals, it motivates me to keep working hard.
The motivational processes involved in achievement for adolescents are:
- Mindset: This is the belief that intelligence is fixed or can be changed. A growth mindset is associated with greater motivation and achievement, as it leads people to believe that they can improve their abilities through effort.
- Goals: Having specific, challenging goals is associated with greater motivation and achievement. Goals should be challenging but realistic, and they should be broken down into smaller steps that can be easily achieved.
- Expectations: People's expectations about their own abilities can have a big impact on their motivation. If people expect to succeed, they are more likely to try hard and persist in the face of challenges.
- Self-efficacy: This is the belief in one's own ability to succeed. People with high self-efficacy are more likely to set challenging goals and persist in the face of challenges.
- Ability to delay gratification: This is the ability to put off immediate rewards in order to focus on long-term goals. People who can delay gratification are more likely to achieve their goals.