The Characteristics of and Relationships Between Graduate Students' Achievement Goals and Innovative Behavior in Research

• In Event: Graduate and Postdoctoral Education Across the Disciplines SIG Virtual Roundtable

Abstract

This study investigated the characteristics of and relationships between Chinese graduate students’ achievement goals and their innovative behaviour in research. The results of a survey of 996 Chinese graduate students indicated that learning- and normative-oriented goals constitute important aspects of Chinese graduate students’ research motivation, and that they generally perceived themselves to be highly engaged in research innovation. Learning avoidance goals, normative approach goals and normative avoidance goals were positively associated with innovative behaviour in research, whereas work avoidance goals were negatively associated with certain aspects of innovative behaviour. The results of this study have implications for understanding graduate students’ research motivations and innovative behaviour and for developing graduate students’ innovativeness in research.

Authors

• Nannan Liu, Shandong University
  Presenting Author

• Jiying Han, Shandong University
  Non-Presenting Author