Who benefits from mastery-approach and performance-approach goals in college? Students’ social class as a moderator of the link between goals and grade

Abstract

International audienceAlthough approach forms of achievement goals (mastery and performance goals) have been shown to predict academic achievement in college, recent research underscores that these associations are rather weak and not consistently observed. The present study tests students’ social class (in the present research, generational status) as a moderator of the relationships between both mastery-approach goals and performance-approach goals and final grade. One hundred students (45 first-generation students and 55 continuing-generation students, Mage = 18.9, SD = 1.52) answered an achievement goal scale related to one of their classes at the beginning of the year. Their final grade for this class was obtained three months later. As expected, performance-approach goals positively predicted final grade only for upper-class students, while mastery-approach goals tend to do so for lower-class students, supporting the idea that different kinds of motivation could predict students’ achievement depending on their social class

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“…This finding corroborates previous studies (Wormington & Linnenbrink-Garcia, 2017). It also represents a positive finding because MAp goal orientations have been linked to high competence expectancies, motivation, and performance (Belenky & Nokes-Malach, 2013;Darnon et al, 2017;Gaudreau, 2012;Mouratidis et al, 2018;Ranellucci et al, 2018;Senko & Hulleman, 2013). While MAp goal orientations were the most common goal type, the other three goal orientations were also present among participants.…”

“…This finding corroborates previous studies (Wormington & Linnenbrink‐Garcia, ). It also represents a positive finding because MAp goal orientations have been linked to high competence expectancies, motivation, and performance (Belenky & Nokes‐Malach, ; Darnon et al, ; Gaudreau, ; Mouratidis et al, ; Ranellucci et al, ; Senko & Hulleman, ).…”

“…In contrast to individuals who have mastery goals, individuals who have a PAp goal orientation seek positive judgments of competence and will often try to outperform others: “My goal in this class is to get a better grade than most of the other students” (A. J. Elliot & McGregor, , p. 504). This goal orientation has been linked to high academic performance (Darnon, Butera, Mugny, Quiamzade, & Hulleman, ; Darnon, Harackiewicz, Butera, Mugny, & Quiamzade, ; Darnon et al, ; Harackiewicz et al, ; Mouratidis et al, ), but research has also linked it with a low use of learning strategies, depleted working memory, and self‐handicapping tendencies (Avery & Smillie, ; Crouzevialle & Butera, ; Fisher & Ford, ; Midgley, Kaplan, & Middleton, ). Individuals who demonstrate a PAv goal orientation focus on avoiding negative judgments of competence and may ascribe to the following goal: “My goal is to avoid doing poorly in this class” (A. J. Elliot & Church, , p. 223).…”

“…For example, a possible goal for an MAp individual would be "One of my goals in class is to learn as much as I can" (Harackiewicz, Barron, Carter, Lehto, & Elliot, 1997, p. 1287. Previous research has demonstrated that the MAp goal orientation is positively related to academic performance and persistence (Belenky & Nokes-Malach, 2013;Darnon, Jury, & Aelenei, 2017;Gaudreau, 2012;Mouratidis, Michou, Demiricioglu, & Sayil, 2018;Ranellucci, Hall, Muis, Lajoie, & Robinson, 2018;Senko & Hulleman, 2013). Individuals who have an MAv goal orientation focus on avoiding misunderstanding material and may state the following goal: "I am striving to avoid an incomplete understanding of the course material" (A J.…”

“…Elliot & McGregor, 2001, p. 504). This goal orientation has been linked to high academic performance (Darnon, Butera, Mugny, Quiamzade, & Hulleman, 2009;Darnon, Harackiewicz, Butera, Mugny, & Quiamzade, 2007;Darnon et al, 2017;Harackiewicz et al, 1997;Mouratidis et al, 2018), but research has also linked it with a low use of learning strategies, depleted working memory, and self-handicapping tendencies (Avery & Smillie, 2013;Crouzevialle & Butera, 2013;Fisher & Ford, 1998;Midgley, Kaplan, & Middleton, 2001). Individuals who demonstrate a PAv goal orientation focus on avoiding negative judgments of competence and may ascribe to the following goal: "My goal is to avoid doing poorly in this class" (A. J.…”