Factors That Motivate and Challenge Psychology Majors’ Pursuit of Academic Good Work

Abstract

Gardner, Csikszentmihalyi, and Damon defined good work as excellent, ethical, and engaged. In two studies, we explored factors that motivate and challenge undergraduate psychology majors’ pursuit of academic good work ( N = 100; Mage = 21.7; mostly female, Caucasian, and seniors). We found that excellent academic work was motivated by short- and long-term goals but challenged by personal habits, demanding/uninteresting coursework, and competing obligations. Ethical academic work was motivated by short-term goals and internal principles but challenged by not knowing the rules, willingness to cut corners, and negative peer influences. Engaged academic work was motivated by short-term goals, dedicated faculty, and thought-provoking courses but challenged by demanding/uninteresting coursework. We discuss how our findings align with American Psychological Association’s guidelines for the undergraduate psychology major and suggest high-impact practices and discipline-specific resources aimed at cultivating good workers.