Achievement behavior in schools can be understood best in terms of students' attempts to maintain a positive self-image. For many students, expending effort is scary because a combination of effort and failure implies low ability. Students have a variety of techniques for avoiding failure, ranging from cheating to setting goals that are so easily achieved that no risk is involved. Although teachers usually reward achievement and punish lack of effort, for many students risking the sense of defeat that comes from trying hard and not succeeding is too daunting. Remarks on the contributions to this special journal issue devoted to the theme of motivation.
Remarks focus on the different reasons for learning, motives as goals, and personal limitations.
Hemisphere Publishing Corp. Student and teacher reactions to effort stability in failure. Research indicates that although teachers encourage achievement through effort, students often minimize study to avoid the implication that they lack ability if they fail. Effort stability was examined in this context. An additional 187 undergraduates in the role of teachers administered punishment to hypothetical students under the same conditions.