Stability and Change in Academic Achievement Goals: Two Meta-Analyses of Longitudinal Studies (Poster 7)

• In Event: AERA Poster Session 11
  In Poster Session: Motivation in Education SIG Poster Session: Motivational Processes and Effects (San Diego)

Abstract

In two meta-analyses of longitudinal studies, we investigated the rank-order stability (94 studies, 599 effect sizes, 54817 students) as well as the mean-level change (159 studies, 1204 effect sizes, 81873 students) in achievement goals throughout the academic career (elementary school to university). Using robust variance estimation we found that the average rank-order stability of achievement goals (ρ = .53) was comparable to that of personality traits. Stability increased with students’ age and decreased with increasing interval duration between measurement points. Mean levels of all achievement goals decreased throughout school (Δ ranged from -.17 to -.05 per year), whereas only mastery-approach (Δ = -.23 per year) and mastery avoidance goals (Δ = -.12 per year) significantly decreased throughout university.

Authors

• Vsevolod Scherrer, University of Trier

• Maria Jalynskij

• Franzis Preckel, University of Trier