Shyamal Mistry, Santosh Mukherjee,
Swami Vivekananda University, Barrackpore, West Bengal
Samirranjan Adhikari
Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University, Purulia, West Bengal
Pages:77-90
To explore the impact of self-concept on the formation of achievement motivation in
school-going adolescents, this study utilized a descriptive survey method with a
correlational research design. The research involved administering the Deo-Mohan
achievement motivation scale by Deo & Mohan and the Self-Concept Inventory by
Shah to a sample of 1024 Bengali-speaking adolescents, aged 14-16, enrolled in classes
IX and X in the South 24 Parganas District. Findings revealed significant connections
between academic achievement motivation and various aspects of self-concept, including
cognitive self-concept, study-related self-concept, self-confidence, and self-concept
related to personality traits. Notably, cognitive self-concept, reflecting one’s perception
of abilities and competence, emerged as a key determinant of academic achievement
motivation, with high study-related self-concept and self-confidence playing crucial roles
in fostering proactive engagement with academic challenges. Students with positive
self-concepts demonstrated greater motivation, set ambitious goals, practiced effective
time management, and exhibited resilience in the face of setbacks, contrasting with
those with lower self-concepts who tended to set conservative goals and display learned
helplessness.