Influence of achievement motivation and prior mathematics achievement on locus of control and mathematics performance as impacted through written instructions

Abstract

The present study examined the influence of need for achievement and prior mathematics achievement on locus of control and mathematics performance, and the impact of need for achievement and prior mathematics achievement on the effect of written instruction on locus of control and mathematics test performance. Participants consist of 328 public and private high school students on the island of O'ahu, Hawai'i, enrolled in a geometry or algebra II mathematics class. Treatment consisted of three types of written instructions participants received with a mathematics test. The experimental procedure was conducted during a single classroom period in participants' mathematics class. General Linear Model (GLM) and Linear Structural Relations (LISREL) data analyses revealed need for achievement significantly influenced locus of control (p<0.0006). Also, prior mathematical achievement and need for mathematical achievement were found to significantly influence mathematical performance (p<0.000l). However, prior mathematical achievement did not significantly effect locus of control in the GLM analysis, nor did general need for achievement significantly effect mathematics performance. Written instructions were found to be not effective in altering participants' locus of control or mathematics test performance in either analysis, nor were need for achievement or prior mathematics achievement effective in influencing the impact of written instruction on locus of control or mathematics performance. It was concluded that written instruction did not impact students' belief in their ability to perform, or their actual performance on a mathematics test.