Chapter 6: Social Learning Through Social Motivation

A number of researchers and practitioners have found that self-concept is a major source of intrinsic motivation (Csikszentmihalyi, 1985; Deci & Ryan, 1985; Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2005). This is not as evident in early childhood education, since motivation research has been limited in this field (Maehr & Meyer, 1997). Intrinsically motivated behaviors are those whose motivation is based in the inherent interest or internal satisfaction of the behaviors per se, rather than being contingent on some sort of reward, praise or external consequence (Ryan & Deci, 2002). People who are intrinsically motivated are characterized by what is called true (non-contingent) selfesteem (Deci & Ryan, 1994, 1995). Research has documented that making learning more fun (intrinsically motivated) generates a desire to be taught and increases learning and retention as well as subsequent interest in the subject matter (Lepper & Cordova, 1992; Covington, 1998). This kind of motivation is of tremendous importance to individuals’ learning, including social learning, both in school and elsewhere. In the field of early childhood education, it is significant to note that intrinsic motivation typically takes place in children’s play, a fact that underscore its potential for learning (Lillemyr, 2001). The importance of self-concept for intrinsic motivation is one reason why competence is now suggested as a main concept in the field of motivation instead of achievement, not the least because perceptions of competence are closely tied to the concept of competence. Therefore, competence motivation is proposed as the relevant term rather than achievement motivation (Elliot & Dweck, 2005).