Same Goal or Two Different Goals? Investigating the Unexplained Positive Association Among Performance Goals

• In Event: Poster Session 13
  In Poster Session: Division C Section 2a Poster Session 1: Motivational Processes

Abstract

Although commonly used as predictors of academic achievement, achievement goals have an unexplained oddity—a moderate, positive association among performance goals. Two studies used crowd-sourced samples to explore this unexplained positive correlation. Study 1 measured whether respondents recognized approaching norm-based success and avoiding norm-based failure as being distinct. Nearly half (42%) of the study population viewed approaching norm-based success as being the same as avoiding norm-based failure. Additionally, these lay beliefs predicted the strength of the correlation between self-reported performance-approach (PAP) and performance-avoidance (PAV) goal adoption. Study 2 manipulated these beliefs to replicate and extend the findings from Study 1, ensuring beliefs were responsible for changes in the strength of the correlation between PAP-PAV self-reported goals.

Authors

• Emily Greenwood, University of Rochester

• Andrew J. Elliot, University of Rochester