The role of competence in the effects of choice on motivation

Four experiments explored whether initial perceptions of task competence influence preference for having task choices and the effects of choice provision on motivation and performance. In Study 1, participants read a series of scenarios and expressed the greatest preference for choosing on tasks they would be most competent. Across three additional studies, the provision of choice generally enhanced motivation when initial perceptions of task competence were high, but diminished motivation when perceived competence was low. Results were relatively consistent whether initial perceived competence was measured (Study 2) or manipulated by contextual variables (i.e. task difficulty in Study 3 and competence feedback in Study 4). Results also suggested that the conditional effect of choice on intrinsic motivation was mediated by post-choosing perceptions of competence (Studies 2, 3, and 4), though the relationship between perceived competence and intrinsic motivation also appeared to be reciprocal (Study 4). Further, results suggested that choice may conditionally influence both willingness to engage in the target task in the future (Studies 2, 3, and 4) and task performance indirectly via intrinsic motivation (Studies 3 and 4). The implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed.