Different Goals, Different Pathways: Performance-Approach and Mastery-Approach Goals as Direct and Indirect Predictors of Grades

• In Event: Poster Session 17
  In Poster Session: Motivation in Education SIG Poster Session 2

Abstract

In this study, we investigated the different routes through which perceived goal structures, and in turn mastery-approach and performance-approach goals, predict subsequent academic performance in mathematics. Path analyses with a sample of Turkish adolescents (N = 369; 49.1% males; Mage = 16.67 years, SD = 1.85) revealed two distinct paths. After controlling for mid-year grades, we found perceived mastery goal structures to relate (positively) to mastery-approach goals, which in turn positively predicted end-year grades through challenge seeking. In contrast, perceived performance goal structures related positively to both performance-approach and performance-avoidance goals with the former directly predicting higher end-year grades. These findings imply that there may exist different paths to attain academic performance.

Authors

• Athanasios Mouratidis, TED University

• Aikaterini Michou, Bilkent University

• Ayse Nur Demircioglu, Ankara University

• Melike Sayil, TED University