AQA · A-Level · Physical Education
Course version: 7582 · Version from Sept 2016
Characteristics of personality components of achievement motivation.
Full specification wording
Achievement motivation theory: Characteristics of personality components of achievement motivation.
Achievement motivation is the drive to succeed in evaluative situations.
Checked against the AQA 7582 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 2 of 8
- 4 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
Achievement motivation is the drive to succeed in evaluative situations. It is determined by the interaction of two personality components: the Need to Achieve (NAch) and the Need to Avoid Failure (NAF). A performer with a high NAch personality displays approach behaviour: they seek out challenges, take risks, value feedback, are not afraid of failure, and attribute success internally to their own ability or effort. They perform best when the probability of success is 50/50. Conversely, a performer with a high NAF personality displays avoidance behaviour: they avoid challenges, fear failure, dislike evaluation, and attribute success externally to luck or easy tasks. They prefer tasks that are very easy (guaranteed success) or very hard (failure is expected and excused).
What earns the marks
- Achievement motivation is the drive to succeed in situations where performance is evaluated, based on the interaction of NAch and NAF.
- Need to Achieve (NAch): the personality component that drives a performer to seek success and approach challenges.
- Need to Avoid Failure (NAF): the personality component that drives a performer to avoid failure and shy away from challenges.
- Characteristics of NAch: approach behaviour, seeks challenges, takes risks, persists after failure, attributes success internally.
- Characteristics of NAF: avoidance behaviour, avoids challenges, fears failure, gives up easily, attributes success externally.
- Task preference: NAch performers prefer 50/50 probability tasks; NAF performers prefer very easy or very hard tasks.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Confusing achievement motivation components with general personality theories (trait, social learning).
Put it right: Achievement motivation specifically focuses on NAch and NAF.
Assuming NAch and NAF are mutually exclusive.
Put it right: Everyone has both components, but one is usually dominant and dictates behaviour.
Believing NAF performers always choose easy tasks.
Put it right: They also choose very hard tasks because failure is expected and does not threaten self-esteem.
Confusing achievement motivation with arousal or anxiety.
Put it right by defining it as the tendency to strive for success in evaluative contexts.
Exam tips
- Link NAch and NAF to concrete sporting behaviours, such as task choice (e.g. taking a crucial penalty) or persistence.
- Remember that NAch performers thrive in 50/50 situations where the outcome is uncertain, whereas NAF performers avoid these.
- Check that every characteristic you give is tied to the specific personality components of achievement motivation (NAch/NAF).
Try the lesson
The start of the Achievement motivation theory: Characteristics of personality components of achievement motivation. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
In achievement motivation theory, which personality component describes a performer who is drawn towards challenging tasks and takes personal responsibility for the outcome?
Listen
Achievement motivation is the drive to succeed in evaluative situations. It is determined by the interaction of two personality components: the Need to Achieve (NAch) and the Need to Avoid Failure (NAF). A performer with a high NAch personality displays approach behaviour: they seek out challenges, take risks, value feedback, are not afraid of failure, and attribute success internally to their own ability or effort. They perform best when the probability of success is 50/50. Conversely, a performer with a high NAF personality displays avoidance behaviour: they avoid challenges, fear failure, dislike evaluation, and attribute success externally to luck or easy tasks. They prefer tasks that are very easy (guaranteed success) or very hard (failure is expected and excused). A strong answer earns marks for these points. Achievement motivation is the drive to succeed in situations where performance is evaluated, based on the interaction of NAch and NAF. Need to Achieve (NAch): the personality component that drives a performer to seek success and approach challenges. Need to Avoid Failure (NAF): the personality component that drives a performer to avoid failure and shy away from challenges. Characteristics of NAch: approach behaviour, seeks challenges, takes risks, persists after failure, attributes success internally. A common slip: Confusing achievement motivation with arousal or anxiety. Instead, defining it as the tendency to strive for success in evaluative contexts. Exam tip: Link NAch and NAF to concrete sporting behaviours, such as task choice (e.g. taking a crucial penalty) or persistence.
Key words
Say what each word means before you turn the card.
Need to Achieve (NAch)
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Need to Avoid Failure (NAF)
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Approach and avoidance behaviour
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Task difficulty and probability of success
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
See every definition
- Need to Achieve (NAch)
- The personality component that drives a performer to seek success and approach challenges.
- Need to Avoid Failure (NAF)
- The personality component that drives a performer to avoid failure and shy away from challenges.
- Approach and avoidance behaviour
- Seeking out challenges and taking risks is approach behaviour, while avoiding challenges and fearing failure is avoidance behaviour.
- Task difficulty and probability of success
- Performers high in NAch prefer 50/50 probability tasks, whereas performers high in NAF prefer very easy or very hard tasks.
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