Intrinsic, Extrinsic, and Amotivational Styles as Predictors of Behavior: A Prospective Study

ABSTRACT This research ascertained the role of intrinsic, extrinsic, and amotivational styles as predictors of behavioral persistence in a real‐life setting. At the beginning of the academic year, 1,042 first‐term junior‐college students enrolled in a compulsory college course completed a scale assessing intrinsic motivation, four styles of extrinsic motivation (namely, external regulation, introjection, identification, and integration), and amotivation toward academic activities. At the end of the semester, individuals who had dropped out of the course and those who had persisted were identified. Results showed that individuals who persisted in the course had reported at the beginning of the semester being more intrinsically motivated, more identified and integrated, and less amotivated toward academic activities than students who dropped out of the course. Gender differences also emerged. These revealed that females