GASPRO International Journal of Eminent Scholars

ABSTRACT This study sought to find out the relationship between motivation and religiosity in terms of academic motivation and intrinsic religious motivation. The sample consists of 471 participants chosen randomly from different high schools and from different faculties at Ataturk University in Erzurumin, Turkey, namely: Department of Theology, Department of Geography Education, Religious High School and Religious Super High School and general high school. Correlation, One-way variance analysis ANOVA, with the Turkey HSD post-hoc analysis were used in multiple comparison statistical analysis as applied to the data. The results showed that there was no significant relation between academic motivation and sex, socio-economic level, and education department but rather, students’ participation in private educational activities like extra classes on weekends with the aim to prepare for exams affects their success and academic motivation level. The study also revealed a significant relation between academic motivation and self efficacy, success of sibling, positive or negative attitudes of teacher, competition, reward and punishment. Finally, the study showed that there was significant relation between intrinsic religious motivation and class and education department. According to these results, intrinsic religious motivations of students increase as long as class level increases. The research reveals that religion provides meaning in one’s life with direction and purpose. The study therefore draws attention that religion can be a point of reference in motivation of human in all fields and the increase of human’s efficiency. KEYWORDS: Motivation, religiosity, academic motivation