Social-motivational processes and interpersonal relationships: Implications for understanding motivation at school.

Wentzel, Kathryn R.·1999·Journal of Educational Psychology

Abstract

Social-motivational processes and socialization experiences can play a critical role in students' academic success. However, the search for specific mechanisms and processes that explain these social influences on motivation is still in its inception. The purpose of this article was to begin to articulate some of these processes in the hope that more precise explanations of influence will emerge. The 1st section of the article focuses on ways in which social-motivational processes are relevant for understanding motivation to achieve academically, using goal pursuit as a case in point. Models describing complementary, developmental, and hierarchical relations among social and task-related goals and their implications for understanding student achievement are presented. Then, ways in which students' social encounters and experiences with parents, teachers, and peers might influence their adoption and internalization of socially valued goals are examined. New directions for theoretical and empirical inquiry are presented.

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Cited by (29)

  1. The "what" and "why" of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior
    Deci, Edward L., Ryan, Richard M. · 2000 · Psychological Inquiry
  2. Sense of relatedness as a factor in children's academic engagement and performance.
    Carrie J. Furrer, Ellen A. Skinner · 2003 · Journal of Educational Psychology
  3. Engagement and disaffection in the classroom: Part of a larger motivational dynamic?
    Skinner, Ellen, Furrer, Carrie, Marchand, Gwen, Kindermann, Thomas · 2008 · Journal of Educational Psychology
  4. Conceptualization, Measurement, and Improvement of Classroom Processes: Standardized Observation Can Leverage Capacity
    Pianta, Robert C., Hamre, Bridget K. · 2009 · Educational Researcher
  5. Interpersonal Relationships, Motivation, Engagement, and Achievement: Yields for Theory, Current Issues, and Educational Practice
    Martin, Andrew J., Dowson, Martin · 2009 · Review of Educational Research

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CoChat. (2026). Citation check: Social-motivational processes and interpersonal relationships: Implications for understanding motivation at school. https://app.cochat.ai/papers/10.1037//0022-0663.91.1.76
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Wentzel, K. R. (1999). Social-motivational processes and interpersonal relationships: Implications for understanding motivation at school. Journal of Educational Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-0663.91.1.76

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