Psychological Factors which Motivate Learners to Continue Musical Performance Activities

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to explore the psychological factors which motivate learners to continue or discontinue musical performance activities, playing of musical instruments, and to construct a psychological model showing relationships between the factors and outcomes. A questionnaire based on the self-determination theory and the achievement goal theory was created and administered and the responses of eighty university students were analyzed using factor analysis and path analysis. The results suggested a positive causal relationship between the intrinsic regulation (fulfillments) and the period of the musical activity, and a negative causal relationship between an indentified regulation and the period of musical activity. They also suggested a strong causal relationship between all the psychological needs factors we examined and intrinsic regulation (fulfillments). Furthermore task orientation strongly correlated with the with the learners' relationship with both instructor and classmates.