Studies in Achievement Motivation- Towards Psychological Education (An Old and Rare Book)

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September 1968 proved a turning point in my career because it was then that I embarked on the concept of achievement motivation. On my return from the United States of America, where I heard the name of Professor McClelland and studied his literature, I launched on a research project in Achievement Motivation sanctioned by NCERT. The project had two-fold aspects to conduct a survey in Achievement Motivation and to develop Achievement Motivation. The Survey was completed in 1969 and we embarked an experiment on "Developing" Achievement Motive and thereby studying its effects on pupils. We also tried out Professor Prayag Mehta's curriculum and found that as a result of development of achievement motive, the pupils' performance increased. We were maintaining a regular diary concerning the everyday observations of the class- rooms and we observed that pupils' self-concept increased from low to high. The pupils developed trust in themselves and gradually they developed positive self concept.

On completion of the experiment, we plunged into two new experiments (1) trying out Prayag Mehta's curriculum in urban areas in collaboration with CASE, Baroda, wherein we observed changes in the perception of pupils in themselves, in terms of their increased concern for excellence, and in achievement; and (2) preparation of a new curriculum for better self-image. The third project sanctioned by the U.G.C. involved the trying out of the new curriculum and studying the results. A positive effect of achievement motivation development on pupils' perception was observed. Inamdar (1974) in his M.Ed. dissertation analysed such a change in self-concept from the curriculum booklets and answers of the pupils, wherein he found out significant changes in self and goal, self and class- room, self and teacher, etc. In 1972-1974, we developed various questions related to motivation and we tried to find out its relationship with anxiety, adjustment, classroom trust and such valuables. Ameeta (1974) conducted a study on correlates of achievement motive and it was found that motive has curvi- linear relationship with anxiety and a positive relation with performance and initiative. When we derived a curvilinear relationship with anxiety, we had a bunch that a highly motivated child should be having a high anxiety score. In the meantime, Professor Birney sent us ten copies of his book- Fear of Failure. But Birney's book suggested two concepts namely HOS and FOF and described the results of FOF. Kapoor (1974) undertook a study on Hope and Fear arousal and supported the findings of Birney and said that Birney's test can be used for Baroda pupils. Ir was observed that the students in the schools of Baroda were more fear oriented than hope oriented.

Professor McClelland visited New Delhi in 1974 and on the invitation of Professor McClelland and the USEFI, I delivered a talk on Motive Development to the audience consisting of administrators, professors, psychologists and researchers. This gave rise to a whole set of new ideas-namely, a need to work on personality models from the point of view of achievement, power, affiliation and altruistic motives. The motive configurations in successful persons needs a study. The development of a psychological education course for positive self-concept and its tryout was also found to be necessary. Instead of working on the models of foreign researchers, it was thought better to work on the input model based on the needs of the given community. Ameeta's study (1974) was designed. and carried out on the basis of this idea. Studies related to analysis of literature were also found to be necessary. Sushila Patel's study (1979) is based on this need.

While analysing the stories. I kept concentrating on a phenomenon helping beyond self. A majority of the pupils wrote, I would like to be a doctor as I want to help others' or I want to be a big cricketer, earn money and help my community. In the U.S.A., the researchers named it as 'extension motive', whereas, I began to think of it as 'altruistic motive! or motive of altruism. I still feel a great need to study this motive.

Jack Frymier was working on motivation towards school and termed as academic motivation'. He believed that if pupils are motivated towards schools, they study better, there are less failures and they develop positive self-concept. I later adopted the test for an Indian sample and a number of studies were undertaken on academic motivation.

Professor Tamotsuv Hayashi was then working on family influences and n-Achievement and he sent his findings which differed from Winterbottom's findings. This gave rise to Naik's study (1978) on family influences on motive acquisition on two communities of Gujarat. Laurence Litting was working on occupational aspiration on closed and open groups and Phutela (1976) adopted this variable in his study. Birney's study of Fear of Failure was further studied by Rekha Kapoor, Phutela and Jyoti Christian.

In 1973, we formed a discussion group which included members like-Dr. Girija Mubai, Dr. Ratan Phutela, Dr. Ameeta Chokshi, Dr. Kerma Lyngdoh and Rekha Kapoor (who were then Ph.D. scholars). We reviewed about 250 studies on achievement motive from all over the world and we discussed conceptual models and hypotheses on the basis of the needs in India, and developed a blue print for studies for five years. It gives me immense pleasure to state that all the studies we designed at that time are completed now. Today fifty-five studies are over, in the area of Achievement Motivation, under my super-vision.

When we decided to publish studies on Achievement Motive, a question arose as to which of the findings should be published -the findings of survey studies or developmental studies? If both were published it would mean doing less justice to the one over the other. So the group decided that the book should give all studies on Motive Development and a few pages may be spared for giving the findings of survey studies, and finally the outcome is this book.

**Contents and Sample Pages**