Master's Theses

Department

Psychology

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of summer camp experience and accompanying independence training on the need to achieve, as measured by French’s Test of Insight. The camp utilized learning principles in an attempt to bring about independence training, which was defined as learning to take personal responsibility for the consequences of one’s actions. Subjects consisted of pre-adolescent boys, from 8-12 years old. The experimental group was made up of 18 campers from the original sample of 20 boys who were randomly selected from the population of 48 campers participating in Camp Pecusa. The controls consisted of 18 boys of the same age who were enrolled in church programs in the Hays area. The instrument used to measure need achievement was French’s Test of Insight, Form A and Form B. Two scorers, including this writer, scored the data independently and then reconciled any differences in their results by mutual agreement. Score correlated .65 with each other. The difference between Form A and Form B for the experimental group was significant at the .05 level. This supported the hypothesis that, as a result of summer camp, the need achievement scores would be significantly increased. There was no significant difference between Form A and Form B for the control group. This further supported this paper’s hypothesis. There was no significant change in the number of words used in either the experimental or control group. The control group was significantly more verbal than the experimental group for both Form A and Form B at the .005 level. Follow up research was recommended to ascertain whether increased need achievement is manifested in other ways such as in school grades. Such research is needed to further validate the Test of Insight as a measure of achievement motivation.

Keywords

Psychology

Advisor

Don H. Randall

Date of Award

Spring 1970

Document Type

Thesis - campus only access

Rights

© The Author(s)

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