Richard Remedios

The Scare Tactic: Do Fear Appeals Predict Motivation and Exam Scores?

Prior to high-stakes exams, teachers use persuasive messages that highlight to students the possible consequences of failure. Such messages are known as fear appeals. This study examined whether fear appeals relate to self- and non-self-determined motivation and academic performance. Data were collected in 3 waves. Self-report data pertaining to perceived fear appeals were collected in the first wave, self-report data pertaining to self-determined motivation were collected in the second wave, and exam scores were collected in the third wave. An increased frequency of fear appeals and the appraisal of fear appeals as threatening predicted lower self-determined motivation but were largely unrelated to non-self-determined motivation. An increased frequency of fear appeals and the appraisal of fear appeals as threatening predicted lower examination performance that was partly mediated by lower self-determined motivation. These findings support a position derived from self-worth theory that the negative consequences of fear appeals arise from their focus on avoiding failure rather than their focus on extrinsic consequences. We suggest that teachers and instructors need to be aware how seemingly motivational statements can unwittingly promote lower self-determined motivation.

The appraisal of fear appeals as threatening or challenging: frequency of use, academic self-efficacy and subjective value

Fear appeals are messages that focus on avoiding the negative consequences of failure. They are often used by teachers as a motivational tactic prior to high-stakes examinations. In this study, we examined whether 566 secondary school students, from 26 different classes, approaching high-stakes examinations appraised fear appeals as threatening or challenging. Multilevel regression analyses showed that an increased frequency of student-reported (but not teacher-reported) fear appeals were experienced as a threat, when focused on avoiding negative consequences and as a challenge, when focused on the timing of forthcoming examinations. Threat experience was associated with lower student-reported academic self-efficacy, higher attainment value and higher extrinsic value. Challenge experience was associated with higher student-reported attainment value and higher extrinsic value. Results show that students differ in the way that they experience fear appeals. Fear appeals should be conveyed with caution, especially if students have low academic self-efficacy.

Achievement goals and approaches to studying: evidence from adult learners in distance education

Achievement goals predict learning in children and young adults, but it is unclear whether they apply to older adults and how they are related to approaches to studying. An online survey examined achievement goals, approaches to studying and academic attainment in distance learners. The Achievement Goals Questionnaire-Revised and the Approaches to Learning and Studying Inventory were given to 2000 students, yielding 1211 responses. The findings confirmed the 2 × 2 model of mastery-approach, mastery-avoidance, performance-approach and performance-avoidance goals in adult distance learners. Mastery goals were positively associated with deep and strategic approaches to studying but negatively associated with a surface approach. Performance goals showed only weak associations with approaches to studying. Performance-approach goals were positively related to attainment, performance-avoidance goals were negatively related to attainment, but mastery goals were unrelated to attainment. The relationship between achievement goals and attainment was partly but not wholly mediated by approaches to studying.

Goal orientations in Russian university students: from mastery to performance?

Research in the UK has shown that students start their university career with the goal of mastering their subject, but this focus shifts as they progress through their degree program. Studies have suggested that unlike students in the UK, Russian students continue to take a strong mastery approach to their work. The main aim of this study was to assess whether the effects observed in UK studies could be found in a Russian context. In a cross‐sectional study, 618 students across four years of a degree program in a Russian university completed an achievement‐goal questionnaire. Results revealed patterns similar to the studies in the UK; Russian students’ levels of mastery were significantly lower after Year 1. The results are discussed in terms of potential changes in Russian culture. Methodological issues relating to the relative failure of some questionnaire items to validate fully within their hypothesised constructs are also discussed.

Comparing Analysis Frames for Visual Data Sets: Using Pupil Views Templates to Explore Perspectives of Learning

A key challenge of visual methodology is how to combine large-scale qualitative data sets with epistemologically acceptable and rigorous analysis techniques. The authors argue that a pragmatic approach drawing on ideas from mixed methods is helpful to open up the full potential of visual data. However, before one starts to “mix” the stages of analysis one needs to be aware of the strengths and weaknesses provided by the various qualitative and quantitative perspectives. This article therefore provides a methodological discussion based on empirical research experiences with one visual data set: Pupil Views Templates (Wall and Higgins). The authors investigate two different approaches to the analysis of these data: inductive and deductive processes. The two approaches are applied separately to the same data set and observations are made regarding the affordances and constraints of each process, and the findings and implications for developing visual analysis in this area are presented. The authors show how both processes provide useful insight, but without clear strategy as to how they can be combined to achieve the intent of the research, the true potential of visual data will remain unlocked.

Different methods, different results : examining the implications of methodological divergence and implicit processes for achievement goal research.

Achievement goal theory is one of the most popular theories of achievement motivation. Techniques researchers have used to assess goals include standardized questionnaires and interviews. One curious finding is that participants whose self-report questionnaire responses strongly indicate they operate with a performance goal do not make performance goal responses in subsequent interviews. In this article, we consider the nature of this divergence using a mixed methods approach and discuss how a third technique, the Implicit Association Test, might help address divergent goal responses. More broadly, we suggest that implicit measures may offer an additional and/or alternative technique for assessing the prevalence of psychological constructs thought to be underpinned by processes involving social cognition.

Working in Health Access Programme (WHAP): initial results

Context  Academic achievement and social class are positively related and applications to medical schools reflect a class‐based bias favouring middle‐class candidates. Applying a measure that is class‐free could be useful as an indicator of a potential good health professional may widen the pool of applicants. In the Working in Health Access Programme (WHAP), we report on the potential usefulness of such a measure. In addition, we describe a programme for raising awareness of higher education (HE) and careers in health care.