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PHYSIOLOGY
УДК 612.821
SPECIFIC FEATURES WHILE IMPLEMENTING ACHIEVEMENT MOTIVATION WITH AN INTERNAL COMPONENT OF ‘FEAR OF FAILURE' AND ITS CARDIO RESPIRATORY CORRELATES AMONG THE STUDENTS IN THE COURSE OF A LONG EDUCATIONAL PROCESS
A.V.Kotov*, A.P.Novikova
Yaroslav-the-Wise Novgorod State University, [email protected] *P.K.Anokhin Institute of Normal Physiology Russian Academy of Medical Sciences
For the undergraduate students in the course of a long observation period (one academic year) the test study has investigated the temporal dynamics of the personal-level determinants of purposeful behavior — achievement motivation, and cardio-respiratory support of its implementation in the emotionally intense periods of learning activities in terms of using a rating system of knowledge assessment system and pass/fail. It is shown that a stable low level of AM (achievement motivation) provided different versions of intersystem relations of cardiovascular and respiratory functions under-rated and unrated system of education.
Keywords: achievement motivation, «fear of failure», psychophysiological construct, the ‘result of activity’, cardio-respiratory ratios, educational activity
В работе у студентов в ходе длительного периода наблюдения (один учебный год) исследовали временную динамику уровня личностной детерминанты целенаправленного поведения — мотивации достижения и кардио-респираторного сопровождения ее реализации в эмоционально-напряженные периоды учебной деятельности в условиях использования рейтинговой системы оценки знаний и системы зачет/незачет. Показано, что стабильный низкий уровень МД обеспечивается разными вариантами межсистемных отношений сердечно-сосудистой и дыхательной функций в условиях рейтинговой и безрейтинговой системы обучения.
Ключевые слова: мотивация достижения, «боязнь неудачи», психофизиологический конструкт, «результат деятельности», кардио-респираторные отношения, учебная деятельность
Introduction
Achievement motivation (AM) is a personal psycho-physiological construct that initiates a variety of purposeful activities of an individual, while the central and self-sufficient element of this activity is not «the result of activity», but a process of achieving «the result of activ-ity» [1-4]. In its structure neurodynamic AM contains hypothetical components of the «hope of success» (HS), or «fear of failure» (FF), having an impact on selfactualization. In the first case the HS component contributes to, and in the second case FF component hinders the implementation of the AM, forming, apparently a conflicting intrapersonal stress at the stage of decision making, and then, immediately, when implementing a system-organized behavioral act. It is known that during the training, as with other kinds of purposeful activity, the student repeatedly experiences episodes of various degrees of emotional and mental stresses of different signs, contributing to (HS) or preventing (FF) successful resolution of educational problems and require the mobilization of a memory mechanism, mechanisms of cognitive and imaginative activities, optimal realization of individual speech activity etc. As opposed to situationally induced motivational activity under specific conditions of the AM, as a personality trait it is characterized not by «the result of activity» to which eventually the purposeful ac-
tivity of the individual is focused [5-8], bur rather what personality traits are realized when the «result of» [3,4].
In psychophysiological studies of behavior (including learning activities), achieving or failure to achieve by an individual emotionally anticipated real results of behavior may further be assessed by the dynamics, the extent and nature of indicators of autonomic changes accompanying the implementation of the mentally deterministic processes of behavioral acts. Investigation in this direction becomes especially acute in connection with the fact that the issue of priority of personality traits of the individual or transient (temporary) external circumstances (situations), always inducing specific forms of human behavior remains a individual of heated debate.
Objective: To study temporal changes in the levels of AM, absolute and integral parameters of cardiorespiratory functions among students with low level of AM, and related with it personal characteristics of their psychological profile for a long period of training.
Methodology of the study
A training group of second-year undergraduates of the Institute of Medical Education of the Yaroslav Mudry Novgorod State University, consisting of 17 students (boys and girls aged 18 to 21 years). In various episodes of training activities the students of this group were under periodi-
cally exposed to the procedure of psychological testing to determine the personal characteristics (intensity of AM (A.Mehrabian, 1989 (modification by M.Sh.Magomed-Eminova)); the degree of personal anxiety (C.Spielberger, 2000); the level of neuroticism, and level of extraintroversion (H.Yu.Eysenk, 1987), intensity of the behavior of type A (D.Jenkins, 2006)) and recorded absolute and integral parameters of hemodynamic function and respiratory (SBP, DBP, average HDP, heart-beat mode, Mode amplitude, cardiac rate, cardiac rhythm, cardio rhytho-graphic variation coefficient, stress index, respiratory rate, breathing discontinuity index H) using the computer diagnostic complex «health passport» [9]. Also a number of indicators have been identified specifically those reflecting the characteristics of intra-and inter-system relations of cardio-respiratory functions and the «contribution» of each of them to the success of training activities among students: Hildenbrandt’s index (Q), p («generalized autonomic shift»), psp (specific «physiological cost»), cardiac rate indicator ncr, respiratory rate indicator nn* [10].
The study was conducted over two semesters (with a frequency of 1 time per 1.5 — 2 weeks), which accounted for two-stage monitoring — stage I and stage II, respectively. At these stages different systems of assessing students’ knowledge was applied. In stage I, a teacher was assessed the knowledge by the «pass / fail» system («passed / failed»), and in stage II — a «rating» score system was used. The «rating» system of assessment of knowledge implies that the final assessment of knowledge on the individual is formed from the sum of scores obtained during a routine training during the semester (seminars, workshops), and the score given by an examiner at the final verbal interview. Thus, in stage II the importance of positive responses during the training process for a final assessment of knowledge during the examination session has increased. All tests were performed among the same students against the baseline period (emotionally neutral situation outside the training activities) and at the control classes — colloquia, test sessions, and an exam (relatively emotional and tense situation in the educational activity). During all periods of long-term observation among the students the level of the AM and the representation of its components was repeatedly measured. The number of such measurements was 408 (24 examinations per each individual). Statistical processing of the data was performed by correlation, regression and variance analysis using MICROSTAT and STATISTIKA 6.0 software packages. Reliability was assessed using the analysis of variance, Student's t test and sign criteria, which is a nonparametric alternative to a t-criterion for dependent sampling [11].
Results of study and discussion
In the baseline period, all individuals were characterized by varying degrees of severity of AM in the structure of their personality. According to the study of the
*Equations for calculation of integral indices p =
psp (specific «physiological cost») = — (for legend see S.Ya.Klassnina,
o
1990 ); Q = cardiac rate (by Hildenbrandt) respiratory rate
entire test group individuals have been specially selected with low levels of the AM (from 111 to 119 points) in combination with a predominance of the component «FF». Since special attention was paid to temporal dynamics of the level of AM with the component «FF», the selected individual from time to time (1 per 1.5-2 weeks) for two semesters have been through the procedure of measuring their level of AM. This allowed us to identify the individual characteristics of the dynamics of expression of AM in these persons not only during emotionally neutral, but in the emotionally intense periods of long and ongoing learning process in terms of different systems to assess their knowledge. Thus, it was determined that the rigid (stable) low level values of AM, coupled with the predominance of the component «FF», throughout the study has shown only 2 individuals (Group of AM / FF). In this case, the individuals of «AM / FF» group were characterized by the variation of the level of AM by 24 points and strictly within the allowable corridor values for this indicator, corresponding to the dominance of the internal «FF» component in the AM. Stable manifestation of personal motivational dispositions AM among individual within the group are identified by confirmation of the canonical status of the conservativeness of personal dispositions and stability of their manifestation in the time continuum [1-3], [5], [9].
In addition, using the methods in statistical data processing we have demonstrated significant correlations (p <0.05) between the intensity of the AM and personal anxiety, and extra-introversion and neurotism among individuals. Based on data from scoring intensity of personality dispositions, a negative correlation between the level of the AM and dispositions «anxiety» (p = 0.046), «extraversion» (p = 0.048) and «neuroticism» (p = 0,009), as well as positive correlation between the intensity of AM and «introversion» (p = 0.048) was revealed. Thus, the low representation of AM (corresponding to the dominance of an internal component «FF») combined with high levels of anxiety, extraversion and high neuroticism. This generalized "psychological portrait" of representatives of the studied group is consistent with the characteristic features of the behavior of persons with severe internal component of the AM — «FF» [2-4]. Also, during the individual analysis of personal dispositions of the individuals in Group AM / FF only by high values of the behavior of type A were identified. This fact is consistent with modern concepts and experimental results on the peculiarities of individuals with Type A behavior, in which it is believed that a psy-chotraumatic factor for personality type A is a failure (emphasis added by author) in social competition, considered on a individual level as frustration of the dominant motivation — AM, championship, victory [12].
n turn, the analysis of absolute and relative indicators of vegetal functions in the individuals of «AM / FF» among all the recorded absolute and integral parameters of cardio-respiratory functions a significant correlation (p <0.05) expression of the AM and the representation of its component FF with only three indicators: average HDP, respiratory rate and breathing discontinuity index H have been revealed. Thus, the low level of AM negatively correlated with absolute measures of vegetal functions of the average HDP (p = 0.043) and respiratory rate
(p = 0.044) and was characterized by low values of the integral breathing discontinuity H index (p = 0.047), reflecting degree of vegetal regulation tension in respiratory function and, indirectly, the degree of motivational and emotional stress of an individual. In addition, when an individual analysis of indicators of vegetal functions in response to variations (increase or decrease) of their values in the individuals of «AM / FF» it was revealed that all the individuals of this group in the baseline period had been characterized by vagotonic type of autonomic regulation (cardiac rhythmt, cardio rhythmographic variation coefficient t, stress index of vegetal regulation!, arterial blood pressure I). Moreover, individual analysis of the values of the integral index Q (Hildenbrandt’s index) in the baseline period reflected, in one instance, conjugation of cardio-respiratory functions (Q = 4.79), and in the other instance — desynchronization mechanisms of regulation of cardiac and respiratory function, and the relative autonomization of each of these functions (Q = 7.47t).
Multiple measurements of these indices in the same persons directly in the process of their training for two semesters, allowed to follow the dynamics of the type of vegetal regulation in the individuals. It was found that members of the group «AM / FF2 was characterized by preservation of the original baseline (vagotonic) type of vegetal regulation during all stages of testing. Thus, during the emotionally-intense periods of training activities, both during stage I (while assessing the knowledge and skills by the «pass / fail» system) and stage II (in the context of growing significance of a positive response as we approach the exam test — «rating system» of knowledge assessment), in the individuals of the group «AM / FF» expressly maintained the baseline type of vegetal regulation and stable nature of its maintenance (cardiac rhythmt, cardio rhythmographic variation coefficient t, stress index of vegetal regulation!, arterial blood pressure
I) (see Figure 1).
In general, the individuals of «AM / FF» identified the following general physiological characteristics: low levels of rigidity in the AM different episodes of a long educational process; reliable combination of a low level
of AM with high levels of personal anxiety, neuroticism and extraversion, the presence of type A behavior, stability type of vegetative support at all stages of observation.
However, to study the dynamics of vegetal support to ensure the AM with an internal component «FF» and the success of training activities in the individuals during
I and II stages of the test study we used a special integral indicators of cardiac rate indicator ncr, respiratory rate indicator nrr, p, psp (specific «physiological cost»), as well as Hildenbrandt’s index (see «Test methods»). Thus, in analyzing variation of data values of integral parameters (Q, cardiac rate indicator ncr, respiratory rate indicator nrr, p, psp (specific «physiological cost»), reflecting the intra-and inter-system relationship of cardio-respiratory functions of the individuals of «AM / FF» during stage I and
II of the test study revealed the following features:
1. It was found that the Hildenbrant’s index (Q), which has shown high values of the standards or exceeded it in the baseline period, maintained its trend in all individuals both during stage I, and stage II of the test study. In most cases, stage I for the individuals of the «AM / FF» group it was characterized by the predominance of the degree to which the respiratory system in a systematic process to achieve results in an emotionally charged episodes of learning activities (cardiac rate indicator ncr < respiratory rate indicator nrr). In turn, during stage II, despite the continuing trend rate Q, the individuals periodically demonstrated the prevalence of the cardiovascular system and the inhibition of the respiratory system (cardiac rate indicator ncr > respiratory rate indicator nrr) (see Table 1).
2. «Generalized vegetative shift» (a measure of p) during stage I amounted to 0.050 — 0.3656, while stage
II (with the introduction of rating system) detected a significant improvement in the range of their values 0.05710.6181 among the individuals of the test group (see Table 1). This fact indicates an increase in intensity of the vegetative functions of the students in the realization of a stable low level of AM in stage II with a new system to assess their knowledge, increasing the importance of each of the result during the training process.
«Vegetative Portrait» (baseline period)
«Vegetative portrait» (colloquium-5)
№00% -7 U%
WO ЧСС
000% \ f -5.68%
лмо ^.\— —4- сгд
75a 00%
дх
683 33%
mp,
54f%
ИТ
1.11%
Л/ФЖЕ/7
-22.00%
НЖЕЛ
■1500%
Figure 1. Dynamics of the vegetal regulation type in Group AM / FF (example of ‘vegetative portrait' of undergraduate Ms Rudova)
Table 1
Integral indicators of cardio-respiratory function in individuals Group AM / FF during
stage I and II of the test study
A. (Stage I) ______________________________________________________________________________________
Cardiac rate indicator ncr Respiratory rate indicator nrr P Q
Baseline period 4.79
Ms Rudova К - 1 -0.957 -0.2897 0.2135 4.07
К - 2 -1 0 0.3656 3.04
pass -0.9959 -0.0895 0.1727 4.03
Baseline period 7.35T
Ms Dkaya К - 1 -0.8278 0.5612 0.189 5.6|
К - 2 0.4783 0.8782 0.050 7.2|
Pass 0.21 -0.978 0.172 9.15|T
B. (Stage II)
Cardiac rate indicator ncr Respiratory rate indicator Піт P psp (specific «physiological cost») Q
Ms Rudova Baseline period 4.79
К - 3 -0.5392 -0.8422 0.6181 0.31 (3) 6.67T
К - 4 -0.8448 -0.5351 0.3564 0.18 (3) 4.14
К - 5 -1 0 0.1613 0.08 (3) 4.02
Exam -0.961 -0.2764 0.1678 0.06 (3) 4.22
Ms Dkaya Baseline period 7.35TT
К -3 0.0798 0.9968 0.1509 0.05 (3) 6.46T
К - 4 -0.6326 0.7745 0.0571 0.014(4) 6.78T
К - 5 0.1909 -0.9816 0.2524 0.05 (5) 10.24TT
Exam 0.806 -0.592 0.2392 0.05(5)* 10.21TT
Note: K-1 K-2 K-3 K-4 K-5 - control task.
* points scored by individuals at classes, and the exam are shown in parentheses.
3. Given the parameterized result of training ac- ational performance-modulated training activities of un-
tivities in the form of knowledge assessment scoring, dergraduates.
during stage II of the test study has revealed that the indi- __________
viduals of «AM / FF» group maintained a constant level of performance (effectiveness) of their training activities 1
(student Ms Rudova) or increased it by the time of the 2.
exam test ( Ms Dkaya). In this case, they ensured their performance either by a continuous reduction of «contri- 4'
butions» of cardio-respiratory functions in the implemen- .
tation of the AM or a constant level of psp (specific 5.
«physiological cost»), respectively (see Table 1).
6.
Conclusion 7.
The results obtained in our observation data sug- 8.
gest that consistently low level of AM as a personal disposition is accompanied by the presence in it of the «FF» 9
component and is rigid at all stages of the test study in a variety of emotive episodes of classroom activities. How- 10.
ever, maintaining such a stable and rigidly low AM with an «FF» component at different stages of the test study is accompanied by a significant increase in the intensity of vegetal functions and provides various options for inter- 12.
system on the cardiovascular and respiratory functions, and their share «contribution» to the maintenance of situ-
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