Psychologie a její kontexty, Vol.9, No.1

Expektance a valence jako základní proměnné v motivaci studentů k dokončení vysokoškolského studia a dynamika motivace v průběhu studia

Expectancy and valence as a basic variable in the motivation of students to complete university studies and the dynamics of motivation during their studies

Alice Reissová, Jana Šimsová

Cílem této studie bylo zjistit, jak je silná motivace studentů ke studiu a dokončení vysoké školy a zda se v průběhu studia orientační intenzita motivace mění. Do výběrového souboru bylo zařazeno 713 studentů Fakulty sociálně ekonomické v Ústí nad Labem. Zvolená metoda bylo písemné dotazování. Bylo zjištěno, že valence (důležitost VŠ studia) je vyšší, než expektance (očekávání úspěšného ukončení studia). Zjištěná orientační míra intenzity motivace je 65 %. Pomocí Kruskal-Wallisova testu bylo zjištěno, že v průběhu vysokoškolského studia nedochází mezi jednotlivými ročníky k významným změnám u proměnné valence, ale dochází ke statisticky významným změnám u proměnné expektance. Statisticky významné rozdíly mezi jednotlivými ročníky byly následně identifikovány i v orientační míře motivace. V závěrečném ročníku studia je intenzita motivace vyšší, než v nižších ročnících studia.

Klíčová slova:
motivace, expektance, valence, očekávání studentů, motivace ke studiu na vysoké škole

Problem. One of the problems currently appreciated at universities is the low motivation of students, which is reflected in students´ achievements and which can result in early termination. Methods. The objective of the study was to identify how strong student motivation towards studying at university and completing university is and whether the approximate intensity of such motivation changes during the course. A modified version of the Vroom expectancy theory of motivation was used to focus particularly on the valence and expectancy. The selected group comprised 713 students from the UJEP Faculty of Social and Economic Studies in Ústí nad Labem. The selected method was written interviews. The obtained data were processed using the statistical Statistica SW. The nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis test was used for evaluation since the data did not show normal distribution. Results. More than half of the respondents ranked the importance of university education (valence) very high, i. e., they selected values between 9 and 10 (on a scale of 1 – 10). In the case of expectancy (of successfully finishing the course), the established values were not as high as in the case of the valence. Afterwards, the reference rate of motivation (65 %) was calculated as a product of the valence and expectancy. Using the Kruskal-Wallis test, it was established that there were no significant changes in the valence variable (P value = 0.0737) between individual years of study during the university course but there are statistically significant changes in the expectancy variable (p = 0.0000). The statistically significant differences between individual years were then identified also in the reference rate of motivation. A significant difference was shown particularly between the first and third year of the bachelor’s course and between the fourth and fifth year (i. e., in the followup master’s course). Discussion and evaluation of results. Within the discussion studies were pointed out which also strive to predict achievements in different areas of human activities. Generally, future achievements can be predicted upon working with individual variables, or it is possible to create model motivation profiles and then match the individuals to individual models. Both ways are possible, and each of them has certain advantages as well as limitations. Further facts which can significantly influence the measurement of performance and motivation of individuals should also be taken into consideration. These can be, for example, different socio-cultural conditions of the specific environment or inter-cultural differences between individuals, the personality of the pedagogue and a number of others. Conclusion. It was established that the valence (the value of university course) was very high, regardless of the year of study. As to the expectancy, the established values are not explicitly positive. The reference rate of motivation reached an average value of 65 %. The Kruskal- Wallis test also proved that the established differences between individual years were not statistically significant as far as the valence, but there is already a statistically significant difference as far as the expectancy. Similarly, a statistically significant difference in the reference rate of motivation was proved between individual years. The reference intensity of motivation is higher at the end of the course than in the initial years.

Keywords:
motivation, expectancy, valence, student expectations, motivation to study at university