The Impact of Respondents' Approach and Avoidance Beliefs on Performance Goal Self-Reports

• In Event: 44.060 - Achievement Goal Theory: Continuing the Conversation

Abstract

Achievement goals—performance-approach, performance-avoidance, mastery-approach, and master-avoidance—are commonly used as predictors of academic achievement. Researchers have noted that performance-approach and performance-avoidance goals have a surprisingly strong positive correlation. Previous research has shown that this correlation may be partially explained by whether respondents consider approach and avoidance as being distinct or the same. This study with 645 undergraduates examines whether respondents’ beliefs about the distinction between approach and avoidance also influence how performance goals predict performance. Results indicated that the predictive utility of performance goals is unaffected by respondents’ beliefs about approach and avoidance. These results suggest that differences in approach-avoidance beliefs may result in different patterns of actual goal adoption. Theoretical and practical relevance of findings are discussed.

Authors

• Emily Hangen, Harvard University

• Andrew J. Elliot, University of Rochester