Capital psicológico que influye a la motivación intrínseca de universitarios del noroeste de México / Psychological capital influences the intrinsic motivation for university students from northwestern Mexico

RESUMEN

Resumen El capital psicológico y la motivación, bajo la perspectiva teórica de la psicología positiva y la autodeterminación respectivamente, conducen al ser humano a la obtención de resultados y al éxito del desarrollo profesional y personal. Asimismo, ante situaciones problemáticas, representan recursos para generar estrategias de resolución. Se planteó como hipótesis que el capital psicológico ejerce influencia sobre la motivación intrínseca de estudiantes universitarios. El objetivo fue identificar un modelo empírico compuesto por dos factores en interacción de un grupo de 253 estudiantes universitarios de primer ingreso en la carrera de psicología, con un promedio de edad de 19.64 años (DT = 3.34). Se integró una muestra por conveniencia a la que se aplicó un cuestionario con reactivos de tipo escala valorativa 29 reactivos midieron motivación con cinco opciones de respuesta y 24 reactivos capital psicológico con seis opciones de respuesta. La recolección de datos se realizó en diversas sesiones que duraron aproximadamente 20 minutos; el cuestionario fue contestado voluntariamente, y los datos recabados fueron analizados con ecuaciones estructurales. Se obtuvo un modelo con bondad de ajuste que identificó la influencia del capital psicológico sobre la motivación intrínseca, lo que representa que los estudiantes poseen fuertes motivadores internos para realizar sus estudios y auguran el desempeño exitoso, según advierten algunos estudios preliminares. De acuerdo con la teoría de la autodeterminación, prevalecen los factores internos para generar acciones que repercuten con diversos comportamientos organizacionales.

ABSTRACT

Abstract Psychological capital and motivation under the perspective of positive psychology and self-determination lead the human being to obtain results and success of professional and personal development; when faced with problematic situations, they also represent resources to generate resolution strategies. In work environments, psychological capital is considered an important resource as the human capital is in any organization. Currently, the study of the psychological capital is focused on university students, which means that educational institutions have to plan the graduate profile that will characterize future professionals. Psychological capital is a construct composed of personal resources defined as optimism, hope, resilience, and self-efficacy. The data collected in the work environment indicated that these variables could favorably affect organizational effectiveness and job performance. Also, in the educational field, it has been observed that university students who scored high in psychological capital showed greater academic performance and success in completing their studies than those who obtained low scores. Specifically, some studies have shown a predominance of high hope and resilience scores of students. Psychological capital is an antecedent, mediating, or consequent variable that interacts with motivation, with various organizational behaviors, with academic performance, and success in completing professional studies. Therefore, this article set out to identify the influence that psychological capital exerted on the intrinsic motivation of the group of students included in the sample. The aim of this study was to identify an empirical model capable of showing if psychological capital is linked to intrinsic motivation in a group of 253 university newly admitted students the career of Psychology, with an average age of 19.64 years (DT = 3.34); 199 were female and 54 were male. A convenience sample was integrated, by choosing the participation of a cohort of students who were in groups conformed by the preferences of the students' schedules and the availability of space in each classroom. A questionnaire with rating scale items was applied 29 items belonged to the Educational Motivation Scale, with five response options; and 24 items belonged to the Psychological Capital Scale, with six response options. The items on both scales demonstrated internal consistency in previous research. A psychologist carried out the data collection in several sessions that lasted approximately 20 minutes. The sample voluntarily answered the questionnaire. Structural equations were used to analyze the data. The confirmatory factor analysis technique was performed, since it allowed testing the hypothesis. The empirical model obtained had practical goodness of fit, since it presented a C2 = 26.51 (13 gl, p = .01). The practical goodness of fit was manifested in the fit values of .97 for BBN, .97 for BBNN and .98 for CFI. The RMSEA was equal to .06. The measurement model obtained was made up of four latent first-order variables (self-efficacy, hope, optimism, and resilience); these variables formed a latent second-order variable called psychological capital that influenced the second-order variable called intrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation was integrated by three first-order latent variables (intrinsic motivation to know, intrinsic motivation to accomplish, and intrinsic motivation to experience stimulation). A good-fit model identified the influence of psychological capital on intrinsic motivation, which meant that students had strong internal motivators to carry out their studies and predict successful performance according to some preliminary studies. The empirical model registered also had high factorial weights for hope and resilience. In this study, psychological capital (self-efficacy, hope, optimism, and resilience) was associated with intrinsic motivation (intrinsic motivation to know, intrinsic motivation to accomplish, and intrinsic motivation to experience stimulation). In previous research, the relationship with motivation was more generic. According to the theory of self-determination, internal factors prevail to generate actions that affect several organizational behaviors.