BASIC PSYCHOLOGICAL NEEDS, LEARNING APPROACHES AND ALLOCATION OF ACHIEVEMENT MOTIVATION IN COLLEGE STUDENTS. EXPLORATORY STUDY

Several investigations in recent years indicate the importance of considering both the cognitive and motivational aspects involved in learning, emphasizing the interplay between affect and cognition (Rinaudo, Chiecher and Donolo, 2003). Hence, the importance of the interpretation made by individuals to the success or failure of the task, based on their prior expectations (Weiner, 1985). Moreover, the motivational aspects are supported or undermined by either satisfaction or dissatisfaction, respectively, of the basic psychological needs, to make people act in a certain way (Domenech and Gomez Betoret Artiga, 2011). In turn, some authors have verified the existence of a relationship between the type of motivation and learning approach used by students (Biggs, 1989; Entwistle, 1987). This paper aims to explore the three constructs mentioned in university students, in order to explore their approaches to learning, basic psychological needs and motivational attributions to achievement.