IDENTIFICATION OF LEARNING MOTIVES IN PRESCHOOL CHILDREN

Abstract

The formation of learning motives in preschool age is a key factor for children’s successful adaptation to school education. Learning motivation during this developmental period has a significant impact on the development of cognitive activity, self-regulation, and attitudes toward learning activities. The present study is aimed at analyzing the leading learning motives among preschool children and examining their specific characteristics with respect to gender differences.

The study was conducted with a sample of 30 children aged 5–6 years, using M. Ginzburg’s methodology for diagnosing learning motivation. This diagnostic tool makes it possible to identify various types of learning motives—cognitive, social, positional, play-related, and external—as well as the degree of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. The results indicate that the leading learning motive among the examined group of children is the cognitive motive (36.7%), which can be regarded as a significant and positive indicator of adequate school readiness. A predominance of mixed motivation (40%) was also identified, creating favorable conditions for the development of an active learning position, self-regulation, and a stable positive attitude toward learning activities. Gender-based analysis reveals that girls are characterized by more strongly expressed intrinsic and socially oriented learning motives, whereas boys more clearly exhibit positional, play-related, and external motives.

The obtained results confirm the importance of cognitive motivation as a foundation for successful school readiness in preschool age. The predominance of intrinsic and mixed motivation may be considered a positive indicator of children’s future learning engagement. The observed differences between girls and boys in the structure of learning motives highlight the need for differentiated pedagogical approaches that take into account developmental characteristics and preferred forms of activity.