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Cited by 119Motivation and Self-Concept in SportsEducation, Achievement, and GiftednessEarly Childhood Education and Development

The effects of experimentally induced choice on elementary school children’s intrinsic motivation: The moderating role of indecisiveness and teacher–student relatedness

Waterschoot, Joachim, Vansteenkiste, Maarten, Soenens, Bart·2019·Journal of Experimental Child Psychology
DOI 10.1016/j.jecp.2019.104692
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Abstract

Although the effects of choice provision on intrinsic motivation have been intensively studied, the number of experimental studies, in particular with elementary school children, is limited. Moreover, many questions regarding the boundary conditions of the effects of choice remain unresolved. Grounded in self-determination theory, the current experimental field study examined the effect of choice provision, versus choice deprivation, on the intrinsic motivation of elementary school children, thereby also addressing the role of child-teacher relatedness and children's indecisiveness as potential moderators. After elementary school children (N = 126, M age = 10.8 years) indicated their preference for one of three different painting activities, half of the children were allowed (so said by the teacher) to perform their preferred activity (i.e., the choice provision condition), and the other half were deprived of their choice and instead obliged to engage in a nonpreferred activity (also so said by the teacher). After having performed the activities, children's intrinsic motivation, autonomy and competence need satisfaction, vitality, and intended persistence were assessed. Children in the choice provision condition, relative to those in the choice deprivation condition, reported enhanced intrinsic motivation and vitality because they experienced more autonomy and competence need satisfaction during the painting activity. Furthermore, because highly indecisive children did not benefit from choice in terms of competence satisfaction, the indirect effect of choice through competence on two indicators of intrinsic motivation was not significant among these children. Relatedness with the teacher did not play a moderating role. Limitations and directions for future research are discussed.

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  • Prior work among rope skippers and elementary school children indicates that some of the effects of experimentally provided choice were less pronounced among highly indecisive individuals.

    “Indeed, prior work among rope skippers (DeMuynck et al. 2019) and elementary school children (Waterschoot et al. 2019) indicates that some of the effects of experimentally provided choice were less pronounced among highly indecisive individuals.”

    From Basic psychological need theory: Advancements, critical themes, and future directions (2020) · cites this paper as Waterschoot et al. 2019

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Authors
Waterschoot, J., Vansteenkiste, M., & Soenens, B.
Affiliations
Ghent University (BE)
Corresponding author
Waterschoot, Joachim
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Experimental Child Psychology
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2019-12
Volume
188
Pages
104692
ISSN
0022-0965 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.jecp.2019.104692
OpenAlex
W2973967886
Cited by
119
References
106
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 90 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 1
FWCI
3.46
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Journal of Experimental Child Psychology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Ghent University Academic Bibliography (Ghent University) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Motivation and Self-Concept in Sports
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Education, Achievement, and Giftedness
  • Social Sciences › Education › Early Childhood Education and Development
Keywords
intrinsic motivation, elementary school students, indecision, self-determination theory, autonomy, competence need satisfaction, vitality, persistence, painting activities
MeSH terms
School Teachers, Attention, Child, Decision Making, Family, Female, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Male, Motivation, Schools, Students, Personal Autonomy

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