Table 3.
Factor structure and reliability for motivational attitude factors
|
Factors and Survey Items |
Mean |
SD |
Factor |
Cronbach’s Alpha |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading | ||||
|
Academic self-concept |
|
|
|
0.82 |
| Academic ability* |
3.88 |
0.60 |
0.71 |
|
| Creativity* |
3.42 |
0.77 |
0.61 |
|
| Drive to achieve* |
4.09 |
0.74 |
0.63 |
|
| Mathematical ability* |
3.53 |
0.85 |
0.63 |
|
| Self-confidence (intellectual)* |
3.82 |
0.76 |
0.78 |
|
|
Authority |
|
|
|
0.74 |
| Becoming an authority in my field† |
2.79 |
0.79 |
0.67 |
|
| Obtaining recognition from my colleagues for contributions to my particular field† |
2.92 |
0.73 |
0.68 |
|
| Making a theoretical contribution to science† |
2.73 |
0.81 |
0.49 |
|
|
Social goals |
|
|
|
0.81 |
| Helping others who are in difficulty† |
2.99 |
0.71 |
0.56 |
|
| Participating in a community action program† |
2.71 |
0.72 |
0.66 |
|
| Improving my understanding of other countries and cultures† |
2.64 |
0.80 |
0.68 |
|
| Adopting "green" practices to protect the environment† |
2.92 |
0.79 |
0.88 |
|
|
Financial goals |
|
|
|
0.72 |
| Being able to make more money‡ |
2.29 |
0.61 |
0.59 |
|
| Being very well off financially† |
2.30 |
0.76 |
0.99 |
|
|
Expectation for student-faculty interaction |
|
|
|
0.81 |
| Communicating regularly with professors§ |
3.52 |
0.59 |
0.64 |
|
| Working on a professor’s research project§ |
3.43 |
0.62 |
0.84 |
|
| All items together | 0.84 | |||
*Self-ratings of the traits compared with the average person of the same age on a five-point scale: from 1 = lowest 10% to 5 = highest 10%.
†Self-ratings of importance on a four-point scale: from 1 = not important to 4 = essential.
‡Self-ratings of importance on a three-point scale: from 1 = not important to 3 = very important.
§Best guess of future events on a four-point scale: from 1 = no chance to 4 = very good chance.