Psychological Development and Education ›› 2023, Vol. 39 ›› Issue (2): 161-172.doi: 10.16187/j.cnki.issn1001-4918.2023.02.02

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A Longitudinal Study of Mastery Motivation and Competence in Early Childhood: The Moderating Effects of Types of Task and Temperament

LIU Shuang1, LI Mei2, FENG Xiaohang3, ZHANG Xiangkui4   

  1. 1. Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy and Society, Jilin University, Changchun 130012;
    2. Department of Psychology, School of Teacher Education, Nanjing Xiaozhuang College, Nanjing 210017;
    3. Department of Psychology, School of Education, Changchun Normal University, Changchun 130032;
    4. School of Psychology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024
  • Published:2023-03-11

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Abstract: The study investigated the longitudinal relation between mastery motivation and competence, and the moderating effects of types of task and temperament. Children who had been examined of mastery motivation using structured tasks at 3.5 years old were assessed of competence (skills for school readiness) using the School Readiness Test Battery-Comprehensive Version at 5.5 years old. Meanwhile, their temperament was rated using the Questionnaire of Temperament for Children Aged 3~9 by teachers. Hierarchical regressions were employed to analyze the moderating effects of types of task and temperament in motivation-competence relations. The results showed that: (1) The moderating effects of Activity-Attention were significant in the Effect-producing Task. For children of Activity Type, time of exploration predicted cognition and general knowledge negatively, and the sense of mastery predicted fine motor and approaches to learning negatively, whereas these relations were not significant for children of Attention Type; (2) The moderation effect of Reactivity-Inhibition was significant for children succeeding in Difficult Task. For children of Inhibition Type, the sense of mastery predicted fine motor positively, whereas the relation was not significant for children of Reactivity Type; (3) The moderation effect of Activity-Attention was significant for children failing in Difficult Task. For children of Attention Type, the persistence predicted approaches to learning positively, whereas the relation was not significant for children of Activity Type.

Key words: mastery motivation, competence, types of task, temperament, young children

CLC Number: 

  • B844
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