Antecedents of Achievement Motivation in Preschool Children

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Abstract
Antecedents of achievement motivation of young children were examined in a two-phase study. Phase 1 studied the achievement motivation of preschoolers and their parents. Children's achievement motivation was measured by the Animal Crackers test and by teachers' ratings using the Children's Achievement Rating Scale (CARS). Parent measures were their social position and the Achievement Checklist. Results indicated that children's achievement motivation was related to teacher's ratings of achievement and parents' social position, and that daughter's achievement was related to father's achievement. Phase 2 related achievement motivation, as measured by five factors of CARS (Task Orientation, Verbal Orientation, Nongoal Orientation. Involvement/Enthusiasm, and Teacher Orientation), to children's (N = 176) control over event outcomes with others and themselves on the Stephens-Delys Reinforcement Contingency Interview, Children's task and verbal orientation was related to control over peers and teachers and to control over negative event outcomes. Girls were rated as more task and teacher oriented than were boys. Age was related to Involvement/Enthusiasm, and high internality was related to Involvement/Enthusiasm and Task Orientation. Results showed that achievement motivation appears earlier than previously demonstrated.