The interactive effects of achievement goals and task complexity on enjoyment, mental focus, and effort

Abstract

Several empirical studies have suggested that achievement goal researchers should put a greater emphasis on identifying factors that may moderate the effects of achievement goals on motivation and related outcomes. In line with this recommendation, the current study sought to examine how one task characteristics (task complexity) may moderate the impact of achievement goals on the motivational outcomes of task enjoyment, mental focus, and exerted effort. Consistent with both the theoretical foundations of achievement goals and the existing research literature, we hypothesized that achievement goals would interact with task complexity in their effects on motivation such that the positive effects of mastery goals would be stronger for complex tasks, the positive effects of performance‐approach goals would be stronger for simple tasks, and the negative effects of performance‐avoidance goals would be weaker for simple tasks. Data collected from 347 undergraduate students assigned to simple or complex task conditions when performing a puzzle‐based task supported these hypotheses. Under complex task conditions, the positive effects of mastery goals were amplified, whereas simple task conditions enhanced the positive effects of performance‐approach goals and minimized the negative impact of performance‐avoidance goals. Future directions for research on achievement goals are discussed, along with potential practical implications of the results of this study.

Predicting an Outcome Less Probable yet More Desirable than the Other

“…The research on cognitive effort seems to regard an emotional (i.e., intrinsic) reward, such as boosting self-esteem or feeling good about oneself, somewhat lightly as compared to biological (e.g., foods), cognitive (e.g., a correct answer), social (e.g., approval), and other types (e.g., monetary) of reward ( Donovan, Hafsteinsson, & Lorenzet, 2018 ; Lallement et al, 2014 ; Kurzban, Duckworth, Kable, & Myers, 2013 ; Milyavskaya, Inzlicht, Johnson, & Larson, 2018 ; Schouppe, Demanet, Boehler, Ridderinkhof, & Notebaert, 2014 ). In addition, cognitive effort is generally regarded as a manifestation of human executive function or general intelligence, so it has often been measured in the context of productive or improved performance ( Kurzban et al, 2013 ).…”

Pathways Linking Parental Support to Adolescents’ Reading Proficiency: A Social Cognitive Theory Perspective

“… Song et al (2015) observed that adolescents who receive positive messages from social agents are likely to adopt mastery goals, which are associated with positive emotional responses. Donovan et al (2018) also reported that children with mastery goals tend to have greater task engagement since they focus on knowledge acquisition and the learning process. In a meta-analysis, Huang (2011) summarized the relationship between achievement goals and achievement emotions such as enjoyment and interest.…”

“…In other words, mastery goals might serve as a mediator between social support and achievement. Students who have mastery goals are also considered intrinsically motivated and have high task enjoyment ( Donovan et al, 2018 ). Such motivational processes have been positively associated with achievement outcomes in many domains (e.g., Huang, 2011 ; Putwain et al, 2018 ; Eccles and Wigfield, 2020 ), though less consistent findings have been observed for students’ reading outcomes ( Wolters et al, 2017 ).…”

Applying the sociotechnical systems theory to crowdsourcing food delivery platforms: the perspective of crowdsourced workers

“…Therefore, they often perceive the task requirements as being difficult, which could be negatively related to their job performance. Donovan et al (2018) demonstrated that employees' perceived technology complexity determined their job performance. Although the perceived complexity of technology varies subjectively, its negative impact on employee performance has been supported in various contexts (Siawsh et al, 2019).…”