The Development of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivational Orientation in Normal and Disabled Readers

Abstract

As an adjunct to her effectance motivation model, Harter (1978) has developed an intrinsic-extrinsic orientation scale that would appear to have particular relevance for the learning-disabled child. This article reports scale results obtained from a Canadian sample of 368 reading-disabled and normal children in grades 3-7. Developmental data indicated that both groups of children became more intrinsically oriented as rated by the two informational subscales, Judgment and Criteria. Developmental trends for the motivational subscales of Challenge, Curiosity, and Mastery were less clear. The disabled readers did not differ particularly from normals in regard to the informational scales. Thus, until after 4 years of schooling, their disability in reading does not seem to have affected them adversely. The total score rather than the subscale scores for the three motivational subscales and the total for the two informational subscales are recommended for the assessment of extrinsic-intrinsic orientation.

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