Abstract
In achievement goal theory, as in the broader discipline of psychology, a false dichotomy has obfuscated our understanding of the influences of contextual and personality features on behavior. Thankfully, this problem is being addressed by many scholars. Just as the nature versus nurture debate has waned among psychologists, the person versus environment divide in motivation research, and particularly in achievement goal theory, is currently being bridged by a common answer: It is both. The achievement goals that individuals pursue in a given situation depend both on the personal goal orientation of the individual and messages in the achievement context that make particular goals salient.
I would like to gratefully acknowledge the contributions of Lisa Kneisel and Gena Mason to this chapter. Thanks also to Dr. Ying-yi Hong for the insightful comments on an earlier draft of this chapter. My appreciation as well to the teachers and students who participated in this project.
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Urdan, T. (2001). Contextual Influences on Motivation and Performance: An Examination of Achievement Goal Structures. In: Salili, F., Chiu, C.Y., Hong, Y.Y. (eds) Student Motivation. Plenum Series on Human Exceptionality. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-1273-8_9
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