Introduction
Hello everyone! My name is Akshaya, and ever since I was little, I have always enjoyed making music. I started singing when I was 5, and I’ve been playing the violin in the school orchestra since 6th grade. I also enjoy playing other instruments, including the piano and the ukulele. Over time, I discovered that making music was not only a fun way to unwind but also a beautiful form of self-expression. By the time I reached high school, music had become something I was deeply passionate about and wanted to keep improving at for the rest of my life.
That passion led me to wonder what factors play the biggest role in shaping my musical abilities because that knowledge could allow me to further develop my skills and grow as a musician. That’s when I came across the idea of intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation, the two main types of motivation that drive people to engage in hobbies, such as music. Intrinsic motivation is when you do something for the joy of it, while extrinsic motivation is driven by external factors, such as external rewards or pressures. Since these different types of motivation have been known to affect performance in different ways, I want to explore how they can affect musical growth.
For this research, I specifically want to focus on performance anxiety, a common experience for musicians that can hinder progress if not managed properly. Although there is limited research on this topic, type of motivation – whether extrinsic versus intrinsic – could be related to levels of performance anxiety. I have personally experienced performance anxiety but have learned to manage it by focusing on the joy of music and performing — an example of intrinsic motivation — rather than worrying about what others think of me.
Through this project, I would like to explore the connection between type of motivation and performance anxiety because that knowledge could help musicians grow. If there is a connection, and one type contributes to performance anxiety more than the other, that could help us understand risk factors for performance anxiety, which could allow us to find better coping strategies to reduce performance anxiety. It would also help us understand which type of motivation is healthier to have, for the sake of musicians’ mental well-being.
In my study, I will be working with a professor and gathering data by surveying music students. My sample size will consist of students from diverse backgrounds, including college students, high school students, and those taking private lessons. The students will also be from different age groups and play various instruments. That way, I can examine the topic from multiple perspectives and compare the results across different demographics.
Thank you so much for reading and stay tuned for more updates!
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