Cultural Predictors of Academic Motivation and Achievement: A Self-Deterministic Approach.

College retention and graduation rates are significantly lower for African American and Hispanic American students. Limited research has been conducted on the relationship between academic motivation and perceived social support. The purpose of this study was to determine the importance of social support as a predictor of academic motivation and academic success across cultures, socioeconomic status (SES) and generation with college experience as predictors were also assessed. Participants consisted of 93 undergraduates from three cultural groups. Results showed SES, family generation with college experience, and perceived social support were predictive of both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation for African Americans. Introduction "Academic motivation" is the term associated with motivation within an academic setting. Academic motivation can create confidence in one's ability, along with an increased value of education and desire to learn (Deci, Vallerand, Pelletier, & Ryan, 1991). Academic motivation and cultural differences have been examined in relation to numerous constructs, including persistence, procrastination, academic self-concept, adjustment, locus of control, stress, and socioeconomic status (SES). No cultural prediction model for academic motivation and achievement has been developed. The purpose of this study was to determine predictor models of academic motivation and achievement for European Americans, African Americans, and Hispanic Americans. Self-Determination Theory of Motivation Deci and Ryan's (1985) self-determination theory provides a comprehensive and multidimensional outlook on motivation, accounting for regulation, energization, and social contexts. Human beings, according to the self-determination theory, are proactive, oriented toward growth, and competent. Based on this theory, motivation for a specific behavior is regulated by either internal choice or external force. Behavior is divided into two components, including behavior that is self-determined and behavior that is controlled. When behavior is self-determined, the locus of causality is perceived to be internal, and when behavior is controlled, the locus of causality is perceived to be external. The self-determination theory divides motivation into three categories, including amotivation, extrinsic motivation, and intrinsic motivation. Motivation is a continuum of self-determination with intrinsic motivation being the most self-determined and amotivation the least. Basic needs relating to motivation. Self-determination theory addresses why individuals are motivated by goals. Deci et al. (1991) claimed motivation corresponds to one's basic needs. Three needs energize motivation, including competence, relatedness and autonomy. Individuals are motivated by goals that meet their basic needs, and motivation is maximized in situations that promote those needs. In the educational setting, academic performance is influenced by teachers, peers, or family members. The specific type of motivation that is enhanced depends on the situation; lower levels of extrinsic motivation increase in controlled situations, whereas higher levels of extrinsic motivation and intrinsic motivation increase if autonomy is supported. When the needs of relatedness, autonomy, and competence are met, students appear better adjusted and perform better academically (Levesque, Zuehlke, Stanek, & Ryan, 2004). Researchers have evaluated various aspects of academic motivation. Vallerand and Bissonnette (1992) explored academic motivation in relation to persistence. Motivation of freshman students enrolled in a required French class at a junior college was assessed. Researchers found higher levels of motivation predicted persistence and lower levels of motivation predicted dropping the class. Self-determination theory proposes factors associated with extrinsic motivation weaken intrinsic motivation. Thus, students focused on external factors, such as earning grades and gaining approval, weaken their internal interest in education, while intrinsically motivated students exhibit greater perseverance (Deci, 1975). …