A study on the mechanism of intrinsic motivation and performance state in deliberate practice of piano based on information entropy

This study applies cognitive psychology and deliberate practice theory, incorporating learners' musical abilities and the information entropy of piano works to design personalized practice pathways. Aiming to elucidate the mechanism linking intrinsic motivation and performance state in piano deliberate practice, the study addresses the empirical gap in quantifying task complexity and ability–task matching. Ninety undergraduate piano majors participated in a 28-day pretest–intervention–posttest experiment, with practice tasks assigned based on Musical Ear Test (MET) scores and the entropy-based classification of piano pieces. Psychological measures included intrinsic motivation (IMI, GSES, PCS), performance state (AGQ-R), and deliberate practice behaviors (DPQ). Results indicated that higher ability–task matching significantly enhanced intrinsic motivation and performance state, with increased self-efficacy, perceived competence, and mastery-oriented goals, as well as reduced avoidance tendencies. Mediation analysis further demonstrated that deliberate practice partially mediated the relationship between intrinsic motivation and performance state (R 2 = 0.01, p < 0.001), and high ability–entropy matching facilitated the coordinated development of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral components. This study is the first to introduce information entropy from information theory into piano pedagogy, providing empirical support for ability–task matching and deliberate practice as effective mechanisms to enhance motivation, resilience, and performance stability in music education. • This study introduces information entropy from information theory to quantify the task complexity of piano pieces, offering a novel and objective method for ability–task matching in music pedagogy. • Empirical findings demonstrate that high ability–task matching significantly enhances intrinsic motivation and performance state, increasing self-efficacy, perceived competence, and mastery-oriented goals, while reducing avoidance tendencies. • Deliberate practice partially mediates the relationship between intrinsic motivation and performance state, supporting a coordinated development of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral components in music learners.