Elsevier

Learning and Individual Differences

Volume 23, February 2013, Pages 249-255
Learning and Individual Differences

Extending antecedents of achievement goals: The double-edged sword effect of social-oriented achievement motive and gender differences

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2012.10.006Get rights and content

Abstract

Underpinned by the hierarchical model of approach and avoidance motivation, the study examined the differential relations of individual-oriented and social-oriented achievement motives to approach and avoidance achievement goals (mastery-approach, performance-approach, mastery-avoidance, performance-avoidance). A total of 570 Chinese high school students participated in this study. Path analysis was conducted and gender differences were also examined. The results from both boys and girls samples converged: individual-oriented achievement motive was a positive predictor of only the two approach goals, whereas social-oriented achievement motive was a positive predictor of both approach and avoidance goals. These findings hold important applied implications for parents and teachers in enhancing their children's/students' academic motivation.

Highlights

► Individual-oriented achievement motive was a positive predictor of mastery-approach and performance-approach goals. ► Social-oriented achievement motive was a positive predictor of mastery approach and performance approach goals. ► Social-oriented achievement motive was also a positive predictor of mastery avoidance and performance avoidance goals.

Section snippets

Achievement motive

Another key construct of particular importance and relevance to student academic functioning is achievement motive. Achievement motive is regarded as a fundamental disposition that orients individuals toward the possibility of success, thus prompting the adoption of self-regulatory forms focused on the attainment of approach goals (Atkinson, 1957, Elliot and Church, 1997, McClelland, 1985, McClelland et al., 1953). Achievement motives, as typically defined in Western-based theories and

Achievement motive and achievement goal

Although achievement motive and achievement goal are related constructs and both are important in student academic functioning, they are theoretically and conceptually distinct. In recent years, the literature has documented a growing interest among researchers in assessing the relational nature between achievement motives and goals (see e.g., Abd-El-Fattah and Patrick, 2011, Bernardo, 2008, Chang and Wong, 2008, Diseth and Kobbeltvedt, 2010, Elliot and Church, 1997, Elliot and McGregor, 2001).

Individual-oriented achievement motive as promoter of approach goals

The hierarchical model of approach and avoidance motivation (Elliot, 1999) posits that achievement motive is a key antecedent of achievement goal adoption. It is grounded in the basic premise that 1) achievement motive is a basic or general motivational disposition that energizes and orientates behavior; 2) achievement motive provides the impetus but not specific directions and, as such, more concrete goals are needed to direct behaviors; 3) achievement motive and goals work in tandem in the

Social-oriented achievement motive as double-edged sword

However, to date, the nature of the relationships between SOAM and achievement goals remains relatively unclear. We contend that SOAM may play a “double-edged sword” role in that it promotes both adaptive and less adaptive forms of achievement goals (i.e., approach and avoidance goals, respectively). We explicate this contention as follows. On one hand, it was believed that SOAM may promote the adaptive approach goals. Socially-motivated students are energized to study with an aim to meet their

Gender differences

Gender difference is a very important topic in motivation, learning, and achievement studies for at least two reasons. First, the biological differences between males and females triggered the interest in research on whether there are gender differences in cognition, learning, and achievement. Research, indeed, has shown that there are gender differences in thinking, achievement and career development. Thus gender equality is a concern in child development, education and society (see Wigfield,

The present study

The purpose of this study is twofold. First, the study seeks to test a hypothesis that social-oriented achievement motive is a positive predictor of both adaptive and less adaptive forms of achievement goals (i.e., approach and avoidance goals, respectively) — a double-edged sword hypothesis. In relation to this, the study also tests if the positive relations between individual-oriented achievement motive and approach goals typically found in Western students (e.g., Elliot and Church, 1997,

Participants

The sample comprised 570 grade-10 and grade-11 students in Mainland China. The students comprised 245 boys and 324 girls (one student did not report his/her gender). The average age was 16.83 (SD = 1.08). These students were drawn from a government school in a middle sized city in Liaoning province.

Measures

Individual-oriented and social-oriented achievement motives (IOAM and SOAM, respectively) were assessed by an adaptation of the Orientation of Achievement Motive Scale (OAMS; Yu & Yang, 1994). The OAMS

Analyses and results

First, we calculated the means for all the variables for girls and boys separately to construct the measured latent variables.2 The means, standard deviations and correlations are presented in Table 1. Independent sample t-test was conducted to evaluate the mean differences between girls and boys.

Individual-oriented achievement motive and approach goals

One of the key findings of the present study indicates that individual-oriented achievement motive (IOAM) positively related to both mastery-approach and performance-approach goals in both the boys and girls samples. This finding is consistent with those found with culturally Western students (Diseth and Kobbeltvedt, 2010, Elliot and Church, 1997, Elliot and McGregor, 2001), and provides cross-cultural generalizability that (individual-oriented) achievement motive is an antecedent of the two

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