Revisiting the “Multiple Goals” Perspective: Do People Find Mastery and Performance Goals Compatible?

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Sunday 7:45 am
  In Poster Session: Belief Systems at Work: Mindset and Achievement Goal Research

Abstract

One unresolved issue in achievement goal theory is whether someone can effectively pursue a mastery goal and performance goal together. We examined this “multiple goals” topic with a novel mixed-method approach that asked the goal-pursuers if the goals are compatible, and why or why not. Results show that university students (Study 1) and adult workers (Study 2) do indeed pursue both goals, consider the two goals compatible, and believe that pursuing the mastery goal now is useful for attaining the performance goal later. Those pursuing both goals also reported higher commitment to each goal than did participants with only one goal. The findings demonstrate that these two seemingly opposing goals can pair well together.

Authors

• Corwin Senko, SUNY - College at New Paltz

• Lucia Speranza, SUNY - New Paltz