The Role of Environmental Entity Theory in Adolescent Students’ Sense of Belonging and Achievement Goals: Perceived Competence as a Moderator

• In Event: Growth Mindset in Education: Measuring, Mediating, and Cultivating Beliefs for Student Success

Abstract

We investigated the predictive utility of perceived classroom entity environment on students’ sense of belonging and personal achievement goals. We also examined whether these predictive paths would differ depending on students’ perceived competence levels. Results based on a group of 823 Chinese high school students revealed that entity environment negatively predicted sense of belonging and positively predicted both performance-approach and performance-avoidance goals. Entity environment also negatively predicted mastery-approach goals indirectly through sense of belonging. In terms of competence-related differences, perceived entity messages in the classroom detrimentally affect both low and high competence students, however, for the latter it can be even more problematic.

Authors

• Evgeniia Konorova, East China Normal University

• Yi Jiang, East China Normal University