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Impact of teachers’ implicit theories and perceived pressures on the establishment of an autonomy supportive climate

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Abstract

According to self-determination theory, when teachers establish an autonomy supportive climate in the classroom, students demonstrate high levels of self-determination and are intrinsically motivated. The aim of this study was to identify factors leading teachers (N=336) to report that they create such a climate. We conducted a path analysis in order to examine the respective roles of teachers’ implicit theories, their seniority, and their perceptions of pressures at work. We also attempted to find out whether these personal and contextual variables have a direct influence or are mediated by teachers’ self-efficacy. Our first finding was that a theory of academic ability as a fixed trait caused a drop in the teachers’ reported support for autonomy. On the other hand, the belief that academic abilities can be improved through students’ own efforts indirectly favored an autonomy supportive climate by acting positively on the teachers’ self-efficacy. Also, seniority had a significant positive effect on autonomy support that was direct, but was also mediated by self-efficacy. Finally, perceived pressures had a negative impact on reported autonomy support, but their influence was also mediated by self-efficacy.

Résumé

Selon la théorie de l’autodétermination, lorsque les enseignants instaurent en classe un climat motivationnel soutenant l’autonomie, les élèves démontrent de hauts niveaux d’autodéter mination et sont motivés intrinsèquement. La visée de ce travail était d’identifier les facteurs menant les enseignants (N=336) à déclarer générer un tel climat. Nous avons procédé à une analyse en pistes causales dans laquelle nous avons mis en perspective le rôle des théories implicites des enseignants, de leur ancienneté ainsi que celui des contraintes qu’ils perçoivent. Nous avons cherché à savoir si l’influence de ces variables personnelles et contextuelles était directe ou médiatisée par leur auto-efficacité. Il ressort tout d’abord que concevoir l’habileté scolaire comme un trait fixe occasionne une chute dans le soutien de l’autonomie déclaré par les enseignants. En revanche, croire que ces mêmes habiletés sont améliorables grâce aux efforts investis par les élèves favorise indirectement un tel climat motivationnel en agissant positivement sur leur sentiment d’auto-efficacité. Par ailleurs, l’influence de l’ancienneté sur le soutien de l’autonomie est significativement positive et s’exerce de manière directe mais est également médiatisée par l’auto-efficacité. Enfin, les contraintes perçues agissent négativement sur le soutien de l’autonomie déclaré mais leur influence est également médiatisée par le sentiment d’auto-efficacité.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire des Sciences de l’Education (EA 602), Université Pierre Mendés France, Départment Sciences de l’Education, 1251 avenue centrale, BP47, 38040, Grenoble Cedex 9, France

    Nadia Leroy & Pascal Bressoux

  2. Institut Univrsitaire de Formation des Maîtres, Grenoble, France

    Nadia Leroy & Pascal Bressoux

  3. Laboratoire Sport et Environnement Social (EA 3742), Université Joseph Fourier, UFRAPS, BP53, 38041, Grenoble Cedex 9, France

    Phillippe Sarrazin & David Trouilloud

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  1. Nadia Leroy
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  2. Pascal Bressoux
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  3. Phillippe Sarrazin
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  4. David Trouilloud
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Leroy, N., Bressoux, P., Sarrazin, P. et al. Impact of teachers’ implicit theories and perceived pressures on the establishment of an autonomy supportive climate. Eur J Psychol Educ 22, 529 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03173470

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