Motivation, academic achievement, and cognitive development are three variables which have been individually scrutinized for many years (Bardouille-Crema, Black, & Feldhusen, 1986; Bridgeman & Shipman, 1978; Campbell, Pungello, Miller-Johnson, Burchinal, & Ramey, 2001; Carlton & Winsler, 1998). However, no study to date has ever used a time lag design to measure causal relationships between motivation, academic achievement, and cognitive development. The present study employed a time lag design with an 11-week lag to measure causal relationships between motivation, academic achievement, and cognitive development. Eighty-one children from two preschool programs were measured on two measures of motivation (Marble-Dropping Task; Bean Bag Tossing Task), two measures of cognitive development (Seriation Task; Oddity Principle Task), and two measures of academic achievement from the Woodcock-Johnson III (Letter-Word Identification Scale; Applied Problems Scale). One causal relationship was found: increases or decreases in motivation produce subsequent increases or decreases in academic achievement. This finding is consistent with previous research that suggests a link between motivation and achievement (Turner & Johnson, 2003). It is recommended that future researchers focus more on how to increase motivation to improve young children's subsequent academic achievement.
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