Organismic integration as a dynamic process: a systematic review of empirical studies on change in behavioral regulations in exercise in adults

In facilitating the adoption of exercise behavior, attention should be directed towards the dynamic nature of behavioral regulations. Organismic integration theory presents a suitable framework for investigating fluctuations in behavioral regulations. However, current results pertaining to this issue revealed mixed findings. The aim of this review is to examine the empirical literature on the dynamic nature of organismic integration theory in exercise settings over time in adults. A systematic review of English articles using PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, ScienceDirect, and SPORTDiscus was conducted including keywords of organismic integration theory, longitudinal designs, change in behavioral regulations, and exercise. Findings are summarized through quantitative analysis of the evidence. Regarding autonomous regulations, steady increases in regulations are observable that originate within the first weeks and persist for up to one year. Most studies reported no changes in controlled regulations, although in a few cases changes were observed six weeks after baseline or later. The review adds to the theoretical understanding of how behavioral regulations are internalized. However, whether changes in regulation occur depends on both the type of regulation and on contextual characteristics. Future research of longitudinal design is warranted to identify optimal periods in which individuals seek for increased support during exercise adoption.     

The Influence of Age in Learning a Foreign Language

Age is an important factor in foreign language learning. Different age groups have different characteristics. Knowing these characteristics may help the learners to increase their learning speed and achievement. This paper focuses on the similarities and differences of different age groups in learning a foreign language from physical, cognitive, affective, motivational and linguistic domains. Teachers can take corresponding methods in foreign language teaching in accordance with special characteristics of the age group being taught so as to obtain the best result in language classroom.     

The role of personality in motivational regulation and academic procrastination

This study explores the role of the motivational self-regulation in academic procrastination under the personality framework. Therefore, the aims of the study were to investigate: (a) the role of personality dimensions in the self-regulation of motivation; (b) the role of self-regulation of motivation in procrastination; and (c) the mediating role of the self-regulation of motivation. The participants were 274 university students (M?=?21 years). The Big Five traits explained from 6% to 17% variance of the individual motivational regulation strategies (MRSs). Both personality (conscientiousness) and the MRS (environmental control) were significant predictors of academic procrastination. Conscientiousness, agreeableness, and intellect showed an indirect effect on reducing academic procrastination, mediated through the strategy of environmental control, thus additionally suggesting the important role of this motivational strategy. Since this strategy can be taught, these findings have a strong practical value.     

试论Dornyei外语学习动机理论对高职英语教学的启示

动机是语言学习诸多因素中最具能动的因素之一,各种外语学习动机理论对我国的英语教学影响至深。以Dornye i的外语学习动机理论为基础,结合高职英语教学的实际,探讨了如何运用该理论来激发学生的学习动机,从而提高高职英语教学的质量和效率。     

The role of task and ego-oriented climate in explaining students’ bright and dark motivational experiences in Physical Education

Background: A distinction is made in Achievement Goal Theory (AGT) between task-oriented (i.e. effort, intra-individual progress, and self-comparison) and ego-oriented (i.e. inter-individual progress and normative comparison) climates. Combining insights from AGT and Self-Determination Theory (SDT), studies in the PE context have shown that a task-oriented climate positively relates to need satisfaction, although the findings regarding the motivating role of an ego-oriented climate are inconsistent. Moreover, little is known about the role of task- or ego-oriented climates in explaining experiences of basic psychological need frustration.

Purpose: Grounded in AGT and SDT, the aim of the present study was to examine if experiences of basic psychological need satisfaction and need frustration can explain why task- and ego-oriented climates elicit positive and negative motivational outcomes in PE, respectively.

Research design: Cross-sectional study.

Method: A sample of 524 secondary school students (51.1% boys, M_age?=?14.51; SD?=?1.81) from five different secondary schools participated in this study. Students reported on their perceptions of task- and ego-oriented climates, motivational regulations, basic psychological need satisfaction, and need frustration, as well as positive and negative outcomes in PE. Structural equation modeling was used to investigate our objective.

Results: We found that a task-oriented climate had a strong and positive relationship with basic psychological need satisfaction, eliciting a bright pathway to autonomous motivation and affective attitude. An ego-oriented climate was positively related to basic psychological need frustration, eliciting a dark pathway to amotivation and boredom. A negative cross-path from task-oriented climate to basic psychological need frustration was also found, while no significant cross-paths were found from ego-oriented climate to basic psychological need satisfaction.

Conclusions: This study provides a better understanding of the mechanisms that explain why task- and ego-oriented climates shape students’ motivational experiences in PE lessons. It is suggested that a task-oriented climate elicits a bright pathway towards more optimal functioning, because it fosters experiences of need satisfaction and buffers against experiences of need frustration. In contrast, an ego-oriented climate is primarily positively related to feelings of need frustration and negative motivational outcomes. Practical implications for PE teacher training are discussed.     

Development of learning to learn skills in primary school

In Finland, schools’ effectiveness in fostering the development of transversal skills is evaluated through large-scale learning to learn (LTL) assessments. This article presents how LTL skills—general cognitive competences and learning-related motivational beliefs—develop during primary school and how they predict pupils’ CPS skills at the end of sixth grade. The six-year follow-up of 608 pupils shows that cognitive competences demonstrated in the beginning of the first grade in a learning preparedness test predict both later cognitive LTL competences and CPS, but their development is not fully determined by earlier individual differences in learning preparedness in the first grade. Motivational beliefs begin to be related to cognitive LTL performance gradually from age 10 on, and they may have a slightly stronger effect on CPS than on cognitive LTL performance. It is concluded that the development of CPS is partly depending on pupils’ initial learning preparedness and the development of their LTL skills.     

Mastery Motivation in Children with Intellectual Disability: Is there Evidence for a Down Syndrome Behavioural Phenotype?

The main purpose of the current study was to provide empirical evidence to support or refute assumptions of phenotypic deficits in motivation for children with Down syndrome (DS). Children with moderate intellectual disability (MID) associated with etiologies other than DS were recruited in an extension of a previous study that involved children with DS and typically developing children. The participants were 29 children with MID and 33 children with DS who were matched on mental age to 33 typically developing children, aged 3–8 years. Mastery motivation was assessed on task measures of curiosity, preference for challenge and persistence, as well as parental reports. There were no significant group differences on the mastery motivation tasks. Parental ratings of mastery motivation differed, with typically developing children generally being rated more highly than each of the disability groups. The view that motivational deficits are part of the DS behavioural phenotype was not supported.     

基于ARCS动机设计模式的成人学习动机策略初探

ARCS动机设计模式是教学设计中学习动机的激励模型。虽然成人学习者的学习动机具有主动性等特点,但是大部分成人学习者在其学习过程中,需要正确的引导和激励,从而增强学习动机。文章基于ARCS动机设计模式理论,结合成人学习者的动机特点,对成人学习的动机策略进行了初步探讨。     

虚拟企业中组织间知识共享的动力机制新探

虚拟企业中组织间的知识共享有着自己的动力构成,在这个动力构成中,包含着三个动力要素:知识差的引发、利益的驱动和环境的激励。这三个动力要素分别存在于知识共享对象、知识共享主体和知识共享环境中,它们之间彼此联系,相互作用,形成了一个统一的动力机制,由此推动着虚拟企业组织间知识共享的运行。     

中国高校二语动机策略实证研究

动机被视为影响二语学习成效的一个重要的情感因素。本文用定量研究方法对62位高校英语教师进行了调查,旨在研究动机策略重要性的认识程度以及具体运用程度,并探讨两者之间是否存在显著差异。研究结果表明：教师总体上在动机策略的重要性认识程度和实际课堂运用频率上保持很高的一致性,但在实际教学中也存在策略运用不足,主要体现在学生自主能力、课堂任务及教师层面等策略上。传统的以教师为中心的教学方法、应试教育、基础差和大班教学很大程度上影响和制约了教师的动机策略,并限制了学生动机的形成与维持。