Studying for the sake of others: the role of social goals on academic engagement

Abstract

Much of the research on achievement goal theory has focused on the roles of mastery and performance goals in academic engagement, thus the role of other goals such as social goals has mostly been neglected. The aim of this research was to investigate the effects of different kinds of social goals (affiliation, approval, concern, responsibility and status goals) on the different facets of academic engagement. A total of 1147 Filipino secondary school students answered questionnaires assessing their social goals, achievement goals and academic engagement. Hierarchical regression analyses were employed to investigate the effects of social goals on academic engagement after controlling the effects of mastery and performance goals. Results indicate that certain kinds of social goals are also important predictors of academic engagement. We recommend that researchers consider investigating social goals that might be more salient in cross-cultural settings instead of focusing exclusively on mastery and performance goals.

Learning Processes and Academic Achievement among Omani School Students

“…When the two models were examined together in the same regression model (see Model 3 in Table 1), the two models only explained 11% of variance in students' academic achievement. Future research may examine other important variables within the Omani school context such as students' self-efficacy beliefs (Aldhafri, 2016) and social goals (King, McInerney, & Watkins, 2012 as self-related variables or classroom climate and students' perceptions of parenting styles as context-related variables.…”

Student Motivation as Hierarchical and Multidimensional: Cross-cultural Validation of Personal Investment Theory in the Philippines

“…Rather, these orientations may directly influence students' psychological processes as they strive toward academic achievement." Numerous studies have shown how social goals are linked to academic outcomes although the studies done are much fewer when compared to those on mastery and performance goals (e.g., Dowson & McInerney, 2001King, McInerney, & Watkins, 2012bMiller, Greene, Montalvo, Ravindran, & Nichols, 1996;Ryan, Hicks, & Midgley, 1997).…”

“…Achievement goal theory has been criticized of being based on an individualistic interpretation of achievement strivings. Some cross-cultural researchers argue that in collectivist settings, there is a need to focus on more socially oriented types of goals (Dowson & McInerney, 2001King, McInerney, & Watkins, 2012bTao, 2003;Urdan & Maehr, 1995;Yang & Yu, 1994). As such, achievement goal theory has been criticized because of its exclusive focus on individualistic types of goals.…”

“…However, some researchers have pointed out the limitations of achievement goal theory and proposed that there are other types of goals (e.g. extrinsic goals and social goals) that are relevant in the school setting (Boekaerts, 2006(Boekaerts, , 2009King & McInerney, 2012;King, McInerney, & Watkins, 2012b;King & Watkins, 2011Urdan & Maehr, 1995). This issue became especially relevant when educational psychologists started investigating students from different cultural contexts, where they found that mastery and performance goals were unable to fully capture the complexity of students' goals (King, McInerney, & Watkins, 2012bKing & Watkins, 2011;Tao, 2003;Tao & Hong, 2000;, Yu & Yang 1994).…”

To Study or Not to Study? Investigating the Link Between Time Perspectives and Motivational Interference

“…Numerous studies have shown that the Filipino and English versions of psycho-educational instruments function equivalently in the Philippine context (e.g., Bernardo, Lising, & Shulruf, 2012;Ganotice, Bernardo, & King, 2012. Moreover, many studies conducted in the Philippines have also relied exclusively on English versions of questionnaires and found them to be adequate (e.g., Bernardo, Zhang, & Callueng, 2002;King, McInerney, & Watkins, 2012;King & Watkins, 2011;Watkins, Hattie, & Astilla, 1986).…”