Modeling the effects of intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, amount of reading, and past reading achievement on text comprehension between U.S. and Chinese students

Abstract

S This study examined the extent that motivational processes facilitate the comprehension of texts and the extent of culture's role in children's motivational processes of text comprehension. Relationships between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, the amount of reading, past reading achievement, and text comprehension were examined by utilizing structural equation modeling. Fourth‐grade students (187 U.S. and 197 Chinese) were administered a reading test and two questionnaires regarding reading motivation and reading amount. A final model fit the data well, showing that intrinsic motivation predicted text comprehension for both student groups after controlling for all other variables. Extrinsic motivation negatively predicted text comprehension except when associated with intrinsic motivation. Reading amount did not predict text comprehension after controlling for motivational variables. The structural relationships were statistically equivalent across the U.S. and Chinese groups. Cultural influences on reading motivation, reading amount, and comprehension were discussed.

Exploring the relationship between adolescent’s reading skills, reading motivation and reading habits

“…Although there is a significant body of research investigating the relationship between children's reading skills and reading motivation (Baker & Wigfield, 1999;Becker, McElvany & Kortenbruck, 2010;Morgan & Fuchs, 2007;Taboada et al, 2009;Wang & Guthrie, 2004) and also reading frequency (Echols, West, Stanovich & Zehr, 1996;Guthrie, Wigfield, Metsala & Cox, 1999), there is considerably less research with adolescents. Indeed, Conradi, Gee Jang and McKenna (2014), in a recent review of reading motivation research, found that only 8% of existing studies had been carried out among high school aged students (9 th -12 th grades).…”

Factors Affecting Motivation for Short In-class Extensive Reading

“…However, intrinsic motivation has been more strongly correlated with the amount of reading than extrinsic motivation in many studies (e.g., Becker et al, 2010;Law, 2009;Schiefele et al, 2012;Wang & Guthrie, 2004;Wigfield & Guthrie, 1997). Extrinsic motivation has been negatively associated with reading amount and/or reading comprehension in some studies (e.g., Becker et al, 2010;Law, 2009;Schiefele et al, 2012;Wang & Guthrie, 2004). To sum up, as SDT postulates (Deci & Ryan, 2000, 2002, the findings of L1 reading research confirm the superior effects of intrinsic motivation as compared to extrinsic motivation.…”

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“…Although the conceptualizations are slightly different, intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation have been employed to investigate L1 reading motivation in many studies (e.g., Becker, McElvany, & Kortenbruck, 2010;Guthrie & Wigfield, 2000;Law, 2009;Mathewson, 1979Mathewson, , 1985Schiefele, Schaffner, Möller, & Wigfield, 2012;Wang & Guthrie, 2004;Wigfield & Guthrie, 1997). In general, "both [intrinsic and extrinsic motivation] predict children's reading amount and frequency" (Guthrie & Wigfield, 2000, p. 407) in L1 reading.…”

“…Mathewson (1979) also argued that although an important factor in the decision to read is the intrinsic motivation derived from reading an interesting story, a minimal degree of extrinsic motivation might also be necessary even for the reading of interesting stories, as no children read well when they were allowed to read or play with toys. However, intrinsic motivation has been more strongly correlated with the amount of reading than extrinsic motivation in many studies (e.g., Becker et al, 2010;Law, 2009;Schiefele et al, 2012;Wang & Guthrie, 2004;Wigfield & Guthrie, 1997). Extrinsic motivation has been negatively associated with reading amount and/or reading comprehension in some studies (e.g., Becker et al, 2010;Law, 2009;Schiefele et al, 2012;Wang & Guthrie, 2004).…”

“…However, intrinsic motivation has been more strongly correlated with the amount of reading than extrinsic motivation in many studies (e.g., Becker et al, 2010;Law, 2009;Schiefele et al, 2012;Wang & Guthrie, 2004;Wigfield & Guthrie, 1997). Extrinsic motivation has been negatively associated with reading amount and/or reading comprehension in some studies (e.g., Becker et al, 2010;Law, 2009;Schiefele et al, 2012;Wang & Guthrie, 2004). To sum up, as SDT postulates (Deci & Ryan, 2000, the findings of L1 reading research confirm the superior effects of intrinsic motivation as compared to extrinsic motivation.…”