Background and Objectives: Reading and studying are complex intellectual processes shaped not only by cognitive abilities but also by motivational, emotional, and social factors. Among these, reading motivation plays a pivotal role in fostering effective learning strategies and academic achievement. Motivation influences students’ persistence, comprehension, and engagement, ultimately determining the depth and quality of learning. Intrinsic and extrinsic motivations, parental support, teaching methods, and access to educational resources collectively shape students’ approaches to study. Given the decline in reading motivation reported in some contexts and the limited evidence on the scientometric structure of research in this area, this study aims to systematically explore global scholarly production related to reading motivation. Specifically, it investigates the most frequently used keywords, leading countries, influential authors, and the centrality of concepts, subjects, and researchers in the literature published between 1983 and 2021. The objective is to map the intellectual landscape of reading motivation research, identify thematic clusters, and provide insights that inform educational practice and policy.
Methodology: This study adopts a scientometric approach combined with social network analysis, citation analysis, and co-word analysis. The data set was retrieved from the Web of Science database covering publications from 1983 to 2021. A comprehensive search strategy was applied, using keywords such as “motivation study,” “reading motivation,” and “study stimulation,” alongside educational terms including “school,” “children,” “teenager,” and “high school student.” After refining and cleaning the results, 282 relevant articles were selected. Data processing was conducted with Bibexcel, and visualization was performed using VOSviewer, NetDraw, and Ucinet. Centrality measures including degree, betweenness, and closeness centralities were calculated to identify the structural significance of concepts, subjects, and researchers. Thematic clustering was applied to map co-word relationships and to categorize research into six conceptual clusters. Co-authorship analysis was further employed to highlight collaborative patterns and intellectual hubs in the field.
Findings:  The analysis revealed that the most frequently used keywords in reading motivation studies were “intrinsic motivation,” “childhood motivation,” “reading motivation,” “comprehension,” “achievement,” and “literacy.” These concepts also scored highly in centrality indices, emphasizing their foundational role in the structure of the field. From a geographical perspective, the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Australia were identified as the most influential contributors, producing the majority of publications and shaping research trends.
In terms of authorship, scholars such as Wigfield, Guthrie, Schiefele, Barbosa, and Christovao emerged as central figures. Their contributions not only advanced theoretical understanding but also served as connecting nodes linking different schools of thought. Thematic clustering resulted in six categories:

External motivation in childhood – focusing on the role of parents, teachers, and librarians in shaping early reading habits.
Adolescent motivation development – highlighting the transition from external to intrinsic motivation through assignments, educational strategies, and self-regulation.
Intrinsic motivation and academic success – showing how self-directed and goal-oriented learning leads to independent and sustained study behaviors.
Linguistic and neurological factors – addressing comprehension challenges and the role of interventions such as magnetic stimulation in improving learning.
Negative determinants of motivation – identifying lack of autonomy, absence of goals, or insufficient self-regulation as barriers, while recognizing the compensatory role of external supports.
Solitude as motivation – emphasizing reading as companionship and consultation, where students view books as sources of personal growth and support.

From a disciplinary perspective, education and educational research, psychology, linguistics, neuroscience, and pediatrics were the most central fields. These domains demonstrate the interdisciplinary nature of reading motivation research, integrating insights from cognitive science, social science, and pedagogy. Betweenness centrality measures further showed that educational research and psychology function as bridges linking multiple disciplines, facilitating cross-field knowledge exchange
Discussion: The findings suggest that reading motivation is both an antecedent and consequence of academic achievement. Early comprehension skills enhance literacy and writing abilities in adulthood, underscoring the importance of fostering motivation from childhood. While external motivators such as parental involvement, teacher guidance, and structured assignments are essential for initiating interest in reading, the ultimate educational goal lies in transforming these into intrinsic motivations. Intrinsic motivation ensures that learners engage in study not because of external rewards or pressures but due to internalized goals, autonomy, and curiosity.