The role of promotion and prevention orientations in secondary school students’ motivation to study: A qualitative analysis

Students’ motivation is a very important area of research. Promotion and prevention are two self-regulatory systems shaping human motivation. Individuals having promotion orientations are motivated to achieve their hopes and aspirations whereas individuals having prevention orientations are motivated to fulfil their duties and obligations (Higgins, 2012). The purpose of this research is to advance understanding of how essential aspects characterizing promotion and prevention orientations affect secondary students’ motivation to study. Unlike many existing research studies involving promotion and prevention, which measured these constructs quantitatively, this research explored the effects of promotion/prevention orientations on students’ motivation qualitatively. A total number of 15 students in year 12 or 13 from three different schools in Wellington area were involved in this research. Each of them took part in a 20-25 minute semi-structured interview. Analysis of the interview revealed several important findings. Firstly, students expect that important school tasks should be difficult or challenging. Second, students’ responses related to the difference between achieving success and avoiding failure in school could be interpreted as indicating that thinking of achieving success was associated with setting maximal goals (i.e., promotion-related goals) whereas thinking of avoiding failure was related to adopting minimal goals (i.e., prevention-related goals). In addition, some interviewees said that achieving success was similar to avoiding failure. Third, when students thought about achieving success in difficult tasks, most of them noted that they would put more effort into their studies and become more persistent. Few students reported setting promotion and prevention focused goals regarding difficult tasks and employing eager and/or vigilant strategies during the goal pursuit. Eager strategies are associated with the presence of positive outcomes and the avoidance of errors of omission. In contrast, vigilant strategies relate to the absence of negative outcomes and the avoidance of making mistakes (Higgins, 2012). Fourth, when students thought about avoiding failure in difficult tasks, many of them stated that they would put more effort into their studies and become more persistent. Few students reported employing vigilant strategies when they thought about avoiding failure in difficult tasks. Additionally, results showed that for few students, thinking of avoiding failure in their studies might have negative effect on their well-being. Fifth, after experiencing prevention success (i.e., after fulfilling duties and responsibilities), the majority of students had feelings related to promotion success; few participants reported feelings related to either prevention success or both promotion and prevention success. Most students reported feelings related to promotion failure after experiencing prevention failure (i.e., after failing to fulfil duties and responsibilities). In contrast, when interviewees thought about promotion success (i.e., achieving hopes and aspirations) or promotion failure (i.e., failing to achieve hopes or aspirations), most of them reported feelings related to promotion success (failure); few participants had feelings related to both promotion and prevention success (failure). Importantly, after experiencing promotion failure, some students had increased motivation whereas only one participant had decreased motivation. Sixth, the findings also showed that personal interests and students’ peers’ performance affect students’ motivation to study. Implications of these findings for research and pedagogical practice and limitations of this research are discussed.