Abstract
M.Ed. (Orthopedagogics)
The purpose of this study is to determine whether milieu-deprived school
beginners reveal fear of failure and achievement motivation tendencies.
Fear of failure is a phenomenon which normally occurs among all people,
although it can vary in degrees of intensity. It would appear, from the
literature, that fear of failure can be viewed as a specific form of
anxiety which has a detrimental effect on achievement.
Owing to the human functioning as a totality, the concepts of fear of
failure and achievement motivation can not be examined in isolation,
therefore the relationship between these concepts and those of anxiety
and achievement has been investigated.
Several researchers agree that pre-school children are quite capable of
forming a clear notion concerning their personal capabilities and that
motives are established in their pre-school years. Views expressed by
researchers suggest that at school entry, motive preferences are already
perceptible in school beginners; these children may be achievement
motivated or reveal a fear of failure.
The low achievement motivation and negative self-concept of milieu deprived
school beginners are conspicuous at school entry. These
children are neither able to measure up to the school's expectations nor
actualize their potential properly because of limited experiences,
deficient cognitive and language development, as well as inadequate
concentration. This is a result of unfavourable educational
circumstances and insufficient developmental opportunities during the
pre-school period.
The above-mentioned short-comings which milieu-deprived school beginners
experience, cause anxiety. They perceive school as a threat and
anticipate and fear failure...