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Adding nuance to the challenge-skill relationship: the interaction of perceived and actual skill. (English)
Int. J. Educ. Res. 77, 143-154 (2016).
Summary: Optimal motivation occurs when there is a balance between perceived challenge and perceived skill. The challenge-skill relationship has been studied extensively with regard to perceived skill, with limited attention given to {\it actual} (i.e., domain-specific) skill. The present study investigated the role of actual skill within the perceived difficulty $\times$ perceived skill relationship. Consistent with our predictions, actual skill moderated the perceived difficulty $\times$ perceived skill relationship for the outcomes of intrinsic motivation, boredom, and persistence during a mathematics task. Furthermore, those with high perceived skill and low actual skill reported the most advantageous motivational outcomes. Together, these findings indicate that the challenge-skill relationship is more complex than we had previously thought once we consider both perceived and actual skill.
Classification: D53 C23 C43