Final answer:
Adolescents are motivated to learn when challenges are aligned with their skills, when rewards provide meaningful feedback, and when they have choices in their learning experiences, as these factors support autonomy and align with their developmental stage of establishing identity.
Step-by-step explanation:
Factors Motivating Adolescent Learning::
Adolescents are motivated to learn when a number of conditions are met which cater to their psychological and developmental needs.
First, when challenges match their skills, it ensures that tasks are neither too easy to incur boredom nor too difficult to cause frustration, hence adhering to the principles of the 'flow' experience described by Csikszentmihalyi.
Second, when rewards have informational value, it provides adolescents with meaningful feedback rather than purely serving as an external incentive.
Third, providing choices can boost motivation as it gives teens a sense of autonomy and control over their learning experiences, which aligns with Deci and Ryan's self-determination theory.
Rewards based on control, however, tend to be less effective as they may undermine intrinsic motivation and the feeling of autonomy. Research in educational psychology suggests that intrinsic motivation is crucial for deep and enduring learning.
Relation to Erikson's Psychosocial Development::
Erikson's stages of psychosocial development emphasize that during adolescence, individuals are in the stage of identity versus role confusion. Successful navigation through this stage involves developing a clear sense of self and values, which can be reflected in the choices they make in learning. Consequently, conditions that foster autonomy and self-expression are potentially more engaging and motivating for adolescent learners.