Ethnicity, Effort, Self-Efficacy, Worry, and Statistics Achievement in Malaysia: A Construct Validation of the State-Trait Motivation Model

Abstract

The relations between motivational constructs, effort, self-efficacy and worry, and statistics achievement were investigated in a sample of 360 undergraduates in Malaysia. Both trait (cross-situational) and state (task-specific) measures of each construct were used to test a mediational trait (r) state (r) performance (TSP) model. As hypothesized, all three traits were found to be empirically distinguishable from their state counterparts in a confirmatory factor analysis. In a structural equation model, each trait also had a direct effect on its corresponding state as hypothesized. Most importantly, state worry and state effort had significant direct effects on statistics achievement in the predicted direction. Gender and ethnic (Malay vs. Chinese) differences and other predictions related to social cognitive theories of motivation also were analyzed and are discussed. Overall, results provide strong evidence for the utility of the state-trait distinction as applied to motivational constructs and are consistent with findings from U.S. samples.