Journal of Educare

Student Motivation, Maslow’s Hierarchy, Attribution Theory, Teacher Feedback, Primary Education.

This study examines the application of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Weiner’s Attribution Theory in understanding primary school students’ academic performance and engagement in West Bengal. Maslow’s framework highlights how unmet physiological and safety needs hinder motivation, while Weiner’s theory explains how students' success and failure attributions impact resilience. Using a mixed-method approach, including surveys, interviews, and classroom observations, findings reveal that socio-economic challenges limit lower-tier needs, reducing academic motivation. Teacher feedback and parental involvement significantly shape students' attribution patterns, influencing their self-perception and effort. The study emphasizes the importance of fulfilling students’ basic needs and fostering adaptive attributional patterns through effort-based praise and constructive feedback. Integrating these theories into teacher training and school policies can enhance student engagement and learning outcomes. This research underscores the role of psychological frameworks in addressing socio-economic disparities and improving primary education in West Bengal.