Personal and Social Resources Interplay Synergistically to Enhance Academic Motivation

Abstract

Guided by self-determination theory, the present study examines independent and interactive roles of self-efficacy and perceived social support in predicting types of academic motivation. Data were collected from 325 university undergraduates in 18-23 years of age (M=21.09, SD=1.34) from the fifth biggest city of South Asia. Results showed the independent and interactive effects of self-efficacy and social support from friends and from a significant other on intrinsic academic motivation after controlling the potential confounding due to demographics. Social support from friends, but not from family and a significant other, independently predicted extrinsic academic motivation. Neither self-efficacy nor social support significantly predicted amotivation.