The Nature and Dimensions of Achievement Goals: Mastery, Evaluation, Competition, and Self-Presentation Goals. (28th October 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lemos, Marina S.; Gonçalves, Teresa; Lens, Willy; Rodrigues, Luís P.
• Is Part Of: Spanish journal of psychology. Volume 17(2014)
• Page Start: 197
• Page End: 220
• Publication Date: 2014-10-28
• Subjects: Psychology -- Periodicals; 150
• DOI: 10.1017/sjp.2014.77
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1138-7416

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="normal"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>The present study aimed to clarify the nature and dimensions of achievement goals and to examine structural differences in students’ goals across school levels. Participants were 134 students from 5<sup>th</sup> and 6<sup>th</sup> grades, and 423 students from 7<sup>th</sup> to 9<sup>th</sup> grades. A variety of achievement goals were assessed, including mastery goals and several performance-related goals representing three main dimensions: competition, self-presentation, and valence.</p> <p>Two alternative models were tested, using confirmatory factor analysis. For middle-school students a three factor model with presentation, competition, and simple evaluation/mastery goals, was found χ²(132, <italic>N</italic> = 134) = 160.9, <italic>p</italic> < .001; CFI = .94; RMSEA = .04, 95%CI [.02 â€" .06]. In the junior-high sample, one avoidance factor, one competition factor, and a simple evaluation/mastery factor, best fitted the data χ²(114, <italic>N</italic> = 423) = 269.8638 <italic>p</italic> < .001; CFI = .93; RMSEA = .06, 95%CI [.05 - .07] thus suggesting that distinct dimensions organize younger and older students’ motivation. However, common to both grade levels was the existence of (a) separate but low incidence competition goals, and (b) simple evaluation goals, which encompass neither self-presentation nor competition, and are closely linked to mastery goals. Moreover, significant differences were found in the relative importance attached by students to the different types of goals (<italic>p</italic> < .001 for all comparisons), both at middle-school <italic>F</italic>(2, 266) = 220.98; <italic>p</italic> < .001; η<sup>2</sup> = .624) and at junior-high school <italic>F</italic>(2, 820) = 464.4; <italic>p</italic> < .001; η<sup>2</sup> = .531.</p> </abstract>