Development of the Self as Part of Dynamic Systems Involving Context, Action, and Outcomes: The Sample Case of Motivational Resilience

Abstract

The goal of this chapter is to explore how systems theories of motivation and the self can be used to provide a window on the invisible workings underlying student motivational resilience and vulnerability. The major contribution this chapter attempts to make to these discussions is the idea that the self, along with motivational resilience and vulnerability, cannot be understood by looking at these processes in isolation. Instead, they are better conceptualized as parts of dynamic systems, self-systems and motivational systems, that consist of multiple components (including other people, activities, and settings) that work together over time to give rise to the states referred to as motivational resilience as well as the constructions we call “self.” To illustrate the utility of systems conceptualizations, this chapter uses Self-Determination Theory as a springboard to explore the role of key aspects of academic identity and the self in the development of students’ motivational resilience. The chapter is organized in three sections. The first briefly explains a systems perspective by laying out the major components of the motivational system. The second section explains how these parts work together to create dynamics that shape the development of both motivational resilience and the self. The third section explores how this view of motivation can be useful not only to researchers, but also to practitioners, parents, and other educational stakeholders whose goals include supporting the academic development and success of children and youth.