| Abstract: | Assessed 68 firstborns at 6 and 12 mo with 12 mastery tasks chosen to elicit 3 aspects of mastery motivation: effect production, practicing sensorimotor skills, and problem solving. Ss were also administered the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID). The significant contemporaneous and cross-age relationships suggest complex interactions at 6 and 12 mo between each S's developmental level, nature of the task, and mastery motivation. The cross-age relationships indicate a developmental progression in mastery behavior during the 1st yr. This progression is one in which a highly motivated child is persistent in producing effects at 6 mo, becomes persistent in practicing sensorimotor skills, and engages in exploration of problem-solving tasks at 12 mo. The relationships with the BSID suggest that mastery motivation and developmental competence are interrelated and that mastery becomes more differentiated with age. (31 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
