Achievement Goal Theory Paper

There is one thing that affects every person in the world. That thing is motivation. Motivation is the direction and intensity of one’s efforts (Weinberg & Gould, 2015). Motivation can come from many different situations such as a parental figures coercion, enjoyment of an activity, or want to improve, or a rebellious nature. It is seen throughout athletics, academic, music, theater arts, and so much more. The first participant Eleanor is a member of capstone choir at her school. It is one of eight choirs and one of the six that is audition required. Eleanor started her career by watching her older sister sing in elementary choir, then decided to join in order to see if she could have as much fun as her sister. After her first years

Her intrinsic motivation encouraged her to want challenges placed on her so that she could improve and become the best that she could possibly be (Weinberg & Gould, 2015). Her traits of determination, dedication, and love of music and its challenges provide an accurate representation of the trait view of motivation. The trait view is defined as motivation caused by the traits one possesses and what their actions are based upon (Weinberg & Gould, 2015). Eleanor’s methods and reasons for pursuing music so thoroughly can be related to the achievement goal theories, specifically the Achievement Goal Theory. The Achievement Goal Theory Eleanor uses is centered around her task orientation, perceived ability or her talent, and the incremental focus of her believing that she can improve over time (Weinberg & Gould, 2015). All of these attributes to

Her orchestra is one eight and is the hardest orchestra to be accepted into through an audition process. Marion is also within the student population that takes accelerated and advanced placement courses, which require exceptional time management, dedication, focus, and concentration. Marion’s musical career began when she was very young and was inconsequentially playing random keys on her family’s piano, it wasn’t until a few years later that she began formal lessons and began truly learning how to create music. Years later in elementary she began playing the cello and continued that growth all throughout her middle and high school careers. She continued her career due to her love for creating music with other students and her instruments, she loved to watch her progress and see what she could be capable of performing. Her intrinsic motivation comes from not wanting to compete with others, but to improve for her own pleasure and enjoyment unlike in her advanced classes (Weinberg & Gould, 2015). Other factors into her specific type of motivation is her situational view, she is pressured by her difficult classes and musical family to be as good as she can be in every activity she attempts, including music. Even though she also loves her situation with school and her family contributes greatly to her having a situational view of