Achievement Motivation

A desire for significant

accomplishments; for mastery of
things, people, or ideas; for
attaining a high standard.

Achievement Motivation
What does it mean?
An individuals interaction with the environment and their
desire to succeed.
Drive to succeed/persist with a task

Achievement Motivation
People who have
LOW achievement
motivation prefer
very easy or very
difficult tasks.
Failure is unlikely
of not embarrassing

People with HIGH

achievement
motivation prefer
moderately difficult
tasks.
Success is
attainable yet
attributable to their
skill and effort.

Why are some people highly

motivated, while others are not?
There are emotional and cognitive roots.
Children learn to associate achievement
with positive emotions.
Children learn to associate achievement
with expectations (intrinsic or extrinsic).

ACHIEVEMENT MOTIVATION
An individuals motivation to strive for success.
Eg: During a penalty shoot out a young footballer is asked
to take the deciding penalty. If he scores his team will win
the match. However after consideration he feels that he
has a 50% chance of missing and declines the offer - he
has a need to avoid failure (NaF) or Avoidance behaviour
His team mate however jumps at the chance and sees this
as an opportunity of being a hero - he is driven by a need
to achieve (Nach) or Approach behaviour
Atkinson and McClelland (1974) considered that the
behaviour of the individual is determined by their
interaction with the environment. Moreover this type of
behaviour is more likely to occur in an evaluative situation.

Achievement Motivation - cont

Athletes either display a need to achieve (nAch) or
need to avoid failure (nAf) tendency when placed in
certain situations
A situation is evaluated in terms of an individuals
probability of success and the incentive value of that
success, which can be expressed as:
(Ms Maf) x (Ps x {I Ps})
Where: Ms = motive to succeed, Maf = motive to avoid
failure,
Ps = Probability of success and I = Incentive value of
success

 Need to avoid failure:

- Avoids challenges
- Often gives up
- Does not want feedback
Eg: Climber takes easiest possible route to ensure
success

Need to Achieve
- Likes a challenge
- Welcomes feedback
- He/She not afraid of failure
- Has high task persistence
Eg: Climber who will take the most difficult route up a
mountain to gain maximum satisfaction

CHARACTERISTICS OF Nach AND Naf

Nach
Look for challenges/risks
Persist for longer
Value feedback from
others
Enjoy performing in
situations where they can
be evaluated
Are not afraid of failure
Attribute performance to
internal factors such as
effort

Naf

Are pre-occupied with failure

Give up easily
Avoid challenging tasks (eg:
Play against easy opposition)
Do not like being evaluated
Dislike situations where there
is a 50/50 chance of failure.
Either Very easy or Very hard
Avoid personal responsibility
Attribute performance to
external factors such as Luck

ATKINSONS MODEL FOR ACHIEVEMENT

MOTIVATION.
The drive to achieve
success for its own sake
Competitiveness
Persistence
Striving for perfection

Achievement
Motivation

Personality

Need to
achieve
Need to avoid
failure

Situational

Probability
of success
Incentive for
success

Achievement Motivation (Cont)

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Intrinsic Motivation
A desire to
perform a
behavior
for its own
sake.

Extrinsic Motivation
A desire to
perform a
behavior due to
promised rewards
or threats of
punishment.

Cultivating Intrinsic Motivation

Coaching strategies to reduce .

NAF AND IMPROVE NACH
1 minute on your own 3 strategies
Group feedback.

Give success and feelings of pride

Reduce punishment and negative feelings linked to failure
Avoid situations where defeat is likely
Set tasks with a choice of difficulty to cater for all levels
Stress performance rather than outcome goals
Increase Task Difficulty slowly

Development of Achievement
Motivation
Tends to be learned, especially during
early childhood
Parental Influences
Cultural Influences
Effects of Beliefs About Oneself