Performance motivation and science homework
Strength, the second subcategory of science homework Performance Motivation, has two components, promptness and persistence. These relatively stable personality characteristics reflect the strength of the learner’s motivation to perform science homework. They influence when the effort is initiated and to what degree it is maintained.
(1) Promptness refers to the tendency of a learner to do science homework immediately when assigned and procrastination to the inclination to delay starting the process. The time that elapses between receiving assignments and starting to do them is viewed as an indicator of strength of motivation. Strong science homework performance motivation is evidenced by immediate attention to the assignments. Weak motivation is reflected in procrastination, that is, in delays that vary from starting the assignment late in the time available to complete it to doing it at the last minute or not at all. Research on promptness versus procrastination has focused on the causes of the phenomenon and to a lesser extent on its relationship to school achievement, with little attention to science homework achievement.
(2) Persistence refers to the degree of sustained effort maintained in the process of doing science homework. Learners differ as to the amount of continuous time that they spend on science homework. Some begin and proceed with the science homework, without interruption, until they finish. Others cannot tolerate concentrated effort and are inclined to do their science homework in a large number of short time periods. Such sporadic starts and stops are likely to be less efficient.
