%0 Journal Article
%T Factors That Motivate and Challenge Psychology Majors¡¯ Pursuit of Academic Good Work
%A Jennifer Adrienne Johnson
%A Mary Katherine Duncan
%J Teaching of Psychology
%@ 1532-8023
%D 2019
%R 10.1177/0098628318816140
%X Gardner, Csikszentmihalyi, and Damon defined good work as excellent, ethical, and engaged. In two studies, we explored factors that motivate and challenge undergraduate psychology majors¡¯ pursuit of academic good work (N = 100; Mage = 21.7; mostly female, Caucasian, and seniors). We found that excellent academic work was motivated by short- and long-term goals but challenged by personal habits, demanding/uninteresting coursework, and competing obligations. Ethical academic work was motivated by short-term goals and internal principles but challenged by not knowing the rules, willingness to cut corners, and negative peer influences. Engaged academic work was motivated by short-term goals, dedicated faculty, and thought-provoking courses but challenged by demanding/uninteresting coursework. We discuss how our findings align with American Psychological Association¡¯s guidelines for the undergraduate psychology major and suggest high-impact practices and discipline-specific resources aimed at cultivating good workers
%K good work
%K excellence
%K ethics
%K engagement
%K undergraduate
%K psychology
%K motivators
%K challenges
%K American Psychological Association
%U https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0098628318816140