How Perceived Incentive, Task Confidence, and Arousal Influence Performance
With expectancy theory of motivation, small relationships with performance are expected. The present study suggests that various components of expectancy theory, which are usually combined in a multiplicative or additive fashion, may have countervailing influences on performance. The opposing effects of the components could cancel each other out. A positive relationship between perceived incentive and arousal was hypothesized, while a negative relationship between task confidence and arousal was hypothesized. Arousal, in turn, is related to performance curvilinearly. 46 undergraduates were provided feedback on a practice test prior to taking a mathematics examination. After examining their incentive, confidence, and arousal, analysis supported both hypotheses.