Students' Motivation in higher schools: sociological aspect

The article describes the results of the survey concerned with the student motivation. As a result, the authors have investigated the needs, interests, values, motives of a modern student. The authors carried out a factor analysis and compiled a typology of the respondents; identified four types of respondents: pragmatists, professionals, intellectuals and communicators. A social and motivational image of students belonging to each typological group has been drawn up. The research has shown that most of the respondents are prompted by the motives of self-development and achievement predominantly, while the tangible motive and the motive of self-assertion are secondary.