Page 61 - How to Shine on Stage

ception of one’s own abilities, which differs from an underestimation of
one’s own efficacy, the latter negatively affecting learning achievement,
and an unrealistic overestimation of one’s own efficacy, the latter lead-
ing to disappointment (Pintrich & Schunk, 1996, in Hofer et al., 1998). If
one has realistic ideas about their own abilities, they choose appropriate
learning strategies, which they are subsequently able to adapt to the de-
sired goals. This emphasis on the real is somewhat at odds with the pre-
vailing programmes for the development of self-esteem, which often focus
on highlighting the positive aspects of the personality and lead to illusory 59
perceptions, which in practice causes disappointment. Proper self-percep-
tion, combined with a belief in the possibility of change, is a much better
predictor of learning success than an overly optimistic self-regard. Moj-
ca Juriševič (1999) introduces the concept of a healthy self-image, one’s
realistic image of their own self and oriented towards positive changes.
Self-efficacy beliefs significantly affect the learning of instruments, es-
pecially the aspect of successful performance. This is because our beliefs
guide our behaviour. The beliefs must be realistic, i.e. one must be aware
of the level of their own ability and at the same time know the extent to
which they can improve their performance by additional effort.
As a final aspect of motivational beliefs, I would like to touch on Indirect Factors of Musical Performance Success
goal setting. We distinguish between excellence-oriented goals (intrin-
sic goals) and result-oriented goals (extrinsic goals). Excellence-oriented
goals inspire a desire for continual progress and self-improvement, while
result-oriented goals are usually characterized by a desire for approval,
for external reward.
Research generally suggests that learning-oriented goals have bet-
ter motivational as well as cognitive outcomes, while also having a better
impact on overall performance (Ames, 1992; Pintrich & Schunk, 1996).
Further, it has been demonstrated that when an individual does not pos-
sess internal goals for learning, the adoption of external goals also pos-
itively affects the self-regulation mechanisms during learning (Pintrich
& Garcia, 1991).

2.1.6.4 Motivational Strategies
Among the motivational strategies Pintrich and Garcia (1994) include:
1. attribution of reasons to internal, unstable, controllable causes (ef-
fort, strategies)
2. setting short-term goals
3. rewarding success