Abstract
D.Ed. (Educational Psychology)
Some of the problems regarding tests that are reliable and
valid for the measurement of scholastic achievement motivation have been accentuated by research carried out in the
first phase of Project Learning Motivation an interdisciplinary project that was undertaken at the Rand Afrikaans
University with a grant from the Human Sciences Research
Council. Results of the above-mentioned research also indicated that the fear of failure motive warrants further investigation with regard to its function in the academic motive structure of the secondary school pupil, on account of the fact that especially older pupils (i. e. those in standard ten) displayed disturbingly high levels of test anxiety
(also known as fear of failure), the effects of which are
decidedly negative, namely declining achievement motivation,
a negative self concept and poor academic performance. Anxiety, especially achievement anxiety, is also associated with
the "drop-out" phenomenon.
As level of aspiration is reported to be related to achievement motivation, and is also subject to the influence of test
anxiety, it was included in the present research in order to
obtain a more complete picture of the academic motive structure of secondary school pupils.
Theories on achievement motivation, level of aspiration, fear
of failure and general anxiety were studied, which led to the
conclusion that there is an inter dependency between these
variables. The relative merits of questionnaire and protective
measures of scholastic achievement motivation were also discussed.