Abstract
Motivational Spiral Models (MSM) show links over time among self concepts, feelings, strategies, skills and participation in everyday activities. In theory, MSM have many common features, with distinct features in particular contexts. This project examined children’s motivation to participate in literacy (MSM-L), social (MSM-S) and physical activities (MSM-P). The participants in Study 1 (N = 32) were 9 to 11 years old, and in Study 2 (N = 73) were 4 to 12 year old children. Locations were close to the Australian national average in socio-economic indicators, and initial screening showed these were representative samples. Analyses used variable-oriented correlational models as well as person-oriented clusters that suggest the standard and alternative motivational pathways. The results of Study 1 suggested bi-directional links between children’s self concepts and participation in activities. Study 2 identified the common features as: openness and stability over time; and self concepts that motivate and justify participation in activities. Distinct features of MSM-L show the few negative feelings that may limit reading. In MSM-S, self concepts support the positive feelings, and in MSM-P, positive feelings support the task strategies. In conclusion, findings support MSM theory with common features based on self concepts and distinct features of developing motivations in particular contexts. MSM provide a sound base for future research in the contexts of everyday activities for children. In addition, there are practical applications of the findings to prevention, monitoring and intervention programmes.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/2193-1801-2-565) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
Motivational Spiral Models (MSM) show links over time among self concepts, feelings, strategies, skills and participation in everyday activities
Motivational Spiral Models expand on these models to consider initial and developing links over time among children’s self concepts, positive and negative feelings, strategies, skills and participation in everyday activities
Common features of developing motivations Stability and openness to experience The results show that skills are generally stable about literacy and physical activities (MSM-L β(T1-T2) = 0.82, MSM-P β(T1-T2) = 0.80)
Summary
Motivational Spiral Models (MSM) show links over time among self concepts, feelings, strategies, skills and participation in everyday activities. Findings support MSM theory with common features based on self concepts and distinct features of developing motivations in particular contexts. The second challenge is to identify features of motivations that are distinct to each context; in this project, children’s participation in literacy, social and physical activities. In this example, initial self concepts influence subsequent participation in an activity (that is, in addition to initial links and stability and openness to experience). Motivational Spiral Models expand on these models to consider initial and developing links over time among children’s self concepts, positive and negative feelings, strategies, skills and participation in everyday activities
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