Brief report: academic amotivation in light of the dark side of identity formation
Résumé
The study intended to determine motivational profiles of firstyear
undergraduates and aimed their characterization in terms of identity
processes. First, a cluster analysis revealed five motivational profiles:
combined (i.e., high quantity of motivation, low amotivation); intrinsic
(i.e., high intrinsic, low introjected and external regulation, low
amotivation); "demotivated" (i.e., very low quantity of motivation and
amotivation); extrinsic (i.e., high extrinsic and identified regulation
and low intrinsic and amotivation); and "amotivated" (i.e., low intrinsic
and identified, very high amotivation). Second, using Lebart's (2000)
methodology, the most characteristic identity processes were listed for
each motivational cluster. Demotivated and amotivated profiles were
refined in terms of adaptive and maladaptive forms of exploration.
Notably, exploration in breadth and in depth were underrepresented in
demotivated students compared to the total sample; commitment and
ruminative exploration were under and overrepresented respectively in
amotivated students. Educational and clinical implications are proposed
and future research is suggested.