Beyond the Surface: Unpacking Hidden Conflicts in Student Motivation through the Iceberg Model

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Thursday 2:15pm
  In Poster Session: Emotion, Identity, and Social Contexts in Learning

Abstract

This study explores how conflicts across different levels of the goal hierarchy interact to produce motivational interference—a phenomenon where competing goals disrupt focus and engagement in a primary task. Existing literature largely attributes motivational interference to immediate motivational conflicts, often overlooking broader conflicts such as goal or value misalignments. Through a systematic review of 36 studies, this paper reconceptualizes motivational interference using hierarchical models of goal conflict. The review highlights how deeper, higher-order conflicts can underlie and intensify everyday motivational disruptions. These insights offer a more comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon and inform the development of interventions that address the root causes of interference, particularly in academic contexts involving student motivation and performance.

Author

• Harish Premi, Indian Institute of Management