Academic identity, self-efficacy, and self-esteem predict self-determined motivation and goals

Abstract

We conducted the first tests of implicit academic identity (social versus studious) in relation to explicit academic identity (social versus studious), self-efficacy and self-esteem as predictors of self-determined motivation and goals (performance and learning). In Study 1, 366 undergraduates completed measures of implicit social/studious identity and implicit attitude towards social/studious domains along with explicit social/studious identity, academic self-efficacy, and self-determined motivation. In Study 2, 128 undergraduates completed implicit measures of social/studious identity, implicit self-esteem, and explicit measures of self-esteem, and goals (performance and learning). Our results offer the first evidence of significant correspondence between implicit and explicit academic identity and the unique, incremental contributions of implicit measures beyond explicit measures in explaining self-determined motivation and goal orientation. We also establish that socially oriented students have lower academic self-efficacy, lower self-determined motivation, and a preference for performance goals; studiously oriented students report higher self-esteem and a preference for learning goals.