Motivation and Learning Strategies for College Success : A Self-management Approach

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52 CHAPTER 3

problems (adapted from Stipek, 1998): Defensive Dimitri, Safe Susan,

Hopeless Henry, Satisfied Sheila, and Anxious Alberto.

Defensive Dimitri

Dimitri is having difficulty in his first term in college and is begin-

ning to doubt his ability to compete with other students in his classes.

As a result, he puts his energy into preventing anyone from inter-

preting his poor performance as evidence of lack of ability. Basically,

he appears to be more motivated to avoid failure than to succeed.

Dimitri uses a number of failure-avoiding strategies, such as asking

instructors several questions to give the impression that he is inter-

ested in the material, telling friends that he does not spend much time

studying for exams when he really does, and spending time trying to

find out what information appeared on tests in other sections of the

same course. Unfortunately, the strategies he uses to avoid looking like

a poor student prevent him from developing his academic abilities.

Safe Susan

Susan is a bright student with high SAT scores. However, she can

be classified as an underachiever. Her primary goal is to attain high

grades and recognition from her instructors. She is upset if she obtains

any grade less than an A. She takes courses that offer little challenge

and overstudies for every test. Susan rarely reads anything that is not

required in a course and does not allow herself to be challenged. She

learns only what she is told to learn.

Hopeless Henry

Henry has a very negative opinion of his ability to do college work.

He realized early in the term that he was having trouble understand-

ing college textbooks and taking lecture notes. In fact, he has no study

skills of which to speak. Henry does not attempt to seek help because

he believes it is useless to try because nothing seems to work. When

talking to friends, he constantly puts himself down. He sleeps late and

misses many classes and finds himself falling further and further

behind in his course work.

Satisfied Sheila

Sheila is a likable student who enjoys college life. She joined a

number of social organizations the first term in college and is a C-

average student who could easily attain A grades. Sheila does not

want to push herself and let course work get in the way of having