Abstract
Classroom research on achievement goals has revealed that performance-approach goals (goals to outperform others) positively predict exam performance whereas performance-avoidance goals (goals not to perform more poorly than others) negatively predict it. Because prior classroom research has primarily utilized multiple-choice exam performance, the first aim of the present study was to extend these findings to a different measure of exam performance (oral examination). The second aim of this research was to test the mediating role of perceived difficulty. Participants were 49 4th year psychology students of the University of Geneva. Participants answered a questionnaire assessing their level of performance-approach and performance-avoidance goal endorsement in one of their classes as well as the perceived difficulty of this class for themselves. Results indicated that performance-approach goals significantly and positively predicted exam grades. Performance-avoidance goals significantly and negatively predicted grades. Both of these relationships were mediated by the perceived difficulty of the class for oneself. Thus, the links previously observed between performance goals and exam performance were replicated on an oral exam. Perceived difficulty is discussed as a key dimension responsible for these findings.
Résumé
Les recherches sur les buts d’accomplissement ont montré que les buts de performance-approche (réussir mieux que les autres) prédisent positivement la performance alors que les buts de performanceévitement (ne pas réussir moins bien que les autres) la prédisent négativement. Celles-ci ayant principalement utilisé des examens à choix multiples, le premier objectif de la présente étude était d’étendre ces résultats à une mesure différente de performance (examen oral). Le second objectif de cette recherche était de tester le rôle médiateur de la difficulté perçue. Les participants étaient 49 étudiants de 4ème année de psychologie de l’Université de Genève. Les participants ont répondu à un questionnaire mesurant leur niveau de buts de performance-approche et performance-évitement dans l’une de leur classe, ainsi que leur perception du niveau de difficulté de cette classe. Les résultats indiquent que les buts de performance-approche prédisent de manière significative et positive la note obtenue à l’examen. Les buts de performance-évitement la prédisent négativement. Ces deux relations sont médiatisées par la difficulté perçue de la tache pour soi. Ainsi, les liens obtenus au préalable entre buts de performance et performance à l’examen sont répliqués sur un examen oral. La difficulté perçue est discutée comme la dimension clé responsable de ces liens.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ames, C. (1992). Classrooms: Goals, structures, and students motivation.Journal of Educational Psychology, 84, 261–271.
Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change.Psychological Review, 84, 191–215.
Baron, R.M., & Kenny, D.A. (1986). The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 51, 1173–1182.
Barron, K.E., & Harackiewicz, J.M. (2000). Achievement goals and optimal motivation: A multiple goals approach. In C. Sansone & J.M. Harackiewicz (Eds.),Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation: The search for optimal motivation and performance (pp. 229–254). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
Barron, K.E., & Harackiewicz, J.M. (2003). Revisiting the benefits of performance-approach goals in the college classroom: Exploring the role of goals in advanced college courses.International Journal of Educational Research, 39, 357–374.
Bloom, B.S. (1984).Taxonomy of educational objectives. Allyn and Bacon, Boston, MA.
Bouffard, T., Boisvert, J., Vezeau, C., & Larouche, C. (1995). The impact of goal orientation on self regulation and performance among college students.British Journal of Educational Psychology, 65, 317–329.
Chatard, A., Guimond, S., & Selimbegovic, L. (2007). “How good are you in math?” The effect of gender stereotypes on students’ recollection of their school marks.Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 43, 1017–1024.
Church, M.A., Elliot, A.J., & Gable, S.L. (2001). Perceptions of classroom environment, achievement goals, and achievement outcomes.Journal of Educational Psychology, 93, 43–54.
Darnon, C., & Butera, F. (2005). Buts d’accomplissement, stratégies d’étude, et motivation intrinsèque: présentation d’un domaine de recherche et validation française de l’échelle d’Elliot et McGregor (2001) [Achievement goals, study strategies, and intrinsic motivation: Presenting a domain of research and the French validation of Elliot & McGregor’s scale].L’Année Psychologique, 105, 105–131.
Darnon, C., & Butera, F. (2007). Learning or succeeding? Conflict regulation with mastery or performance goals.Swiss Journal of Psychology, 66, 145–152.
Darnon, C., Harackiewicz, J., Butera, F., Mugny, G., & Quiamzade, A. (2007). Performance-approach and performance-avoidance goals: When uncertainty makes a difference.Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 33, 813–827.
Darnon, C., Muller, D., Schrager, S.M., Pannuzzo, N., & Butera, F. (2006). Mastery and performance goals predict epistemic and relational conflict regulation.Journal of Educational Psychology, 98, 766–776.
Diener, C.I., & Dweck, C.S. (1980). An analysis of learned helplessness II: The processing of success.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 39, 940–952.
Dweck, C.S. (1986). Motivational processes affecting learning.American Psychologist, 41, 1040–1048.
Dweck, C.S., & Leggett, E.L. (1988). A social-cognitive approach to motivation and personality.Psychological Review, 95, 256–273.
Elliot, A.J. (1997). Integrating the “classic” and “contemporary” approaches to achievement motivation: A hierarchical model of approach and avoidance motivation. In M. Maehr & P. Pintrich (Eds.),Advances in motivation and achievement (vol. 10, pp. 143–179). Greenwich, CT: JAI.
Elliot, A.J. (1999). Approach and avoidance motivation and achievement goals.Educational Psychologist, 34, 169–189.
Elliot, A.J., & Church, M.A. (1997). A hierarchical model of approach and avoidance achievement motivation.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 72, 218–232.
Elliot, A.J., & Harackiewicz, J.M. (1996). Approach and avoidance achievement goals and intrinsic motivation: A mediational analysis.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 70, 461–475.
Elliot, A.J., & McGregor, H.A. (1999). Test anxiety and the hierarchical model of approach and avoidance achievement motivation.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 76, 628–644.
Elliot, A.J., & McGregor, H.A. (2001). A 2*2 achievement goal framework.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 80, 501–519.
Elliot, A.J., Mc Gregor, H.A., & Gable, S. (1999). Achievement goals, study strategies, and exam performance: A mediational analysis.Journal of Educational Psychology, 91, 549–563.
Harackiewicz, J.M., Barron, K.E., & Elliot, A.J. (1998). Rethinking achievement goals: When are they adaptive for college students and why?Educational Psychologist, 33, 1–21.
Harackiewicz, J.M., Barron, K.E., Tauer, J.M., & Elliot, A.J. (2002). Predicting success in college: A longitudinal study of achievement goals and ability measures as predictors of interest and performance from freshman year through graduation.Journal of Educational Psychology, 94, 562–575.
Harackiewicz, J.M., Barron, K.E., Carter, S.M., Lehto, A.T., & Elliot, A.J. (1997). Predictors and consequences of achievement goals in the college classroom: Maintaining interest and making the grade.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 73, 1284–1295.
Harackiewicz, J.M., Barron, K.E., Pintrich, P.R., Elliot, A.J., & Thrash, T.M. (2002). Revision of achievement goal theory: Necessary and illuminating.Journal of Educational Psychology, 94, 638–645.
Harackiewicz, J.M., Barron, K.E., Tauer, J.M., Carter, S.M., & Elliot, A.J. (2000). Short-term and long-term consequences of achievement goals: Predicting interest and performance over time.Journal of Educational Psychology, 92, 316–330.
Judd, C.M., & McClelland, G.H. (1989).Data analysis: A model comparison approach. San Diego: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich.
Kaplan, A., & Midgley, C. (2002). Should childhood be a journey or a race? Response to Harackiewicz et al. (2002).Journal of Educational Psychology, 94, 646–648.
Kaplan, A., Gheen, M., & Midgley, C. (2002). Classroom goal structure and student disruptive behaviour.British Journal of Educational Psychology, 72, 191–211.
McGregor, H., & Elliot, A.J. (2002). Achievement goals as predictors of achievement-relevant processes prior to task engagement.Journal of Educational Psychology, 94, 381–395.
Middleton, M., & Midgley, C. (1997). Avoiding the demonstration of lack of ability: An underexplored aspect of goal theory.Journal of Educational Psychology, 89, 710–718.
Midgley, C., Kaplan, A., & Middleton, M. (2001). Performance-approach goals: Good for what, for whom, under what circumstances, and at what cost?Journal of Educational Psychology, 93, 77–86.
Muller, D., Yzerbyt, V., & Judd, C.M. (2008). Adjusting for a mediator in models with two crossed treatment variables.Organizational Research Methods, 11, 224–240.
Nicholls, J.G. (1984). Achievement motivation: Conceptions of ability, subjective experience, task choice, and performance.Psychological Review, 91, 328–346.
Pintrich, P. (2000). Multiple goals, multiple pathways: The role of goal orientation in learning and achievement.Journal of Educational Psychology, 92, 544–555.
Pintrich, P. (2003). A motivational science perspective on the role of student motivation in learning and teaching contexts.Journal of Educational Psychology, 95, 667–686.
Rawsthorne, L., & Elliot, A. J. (1999). Achievement goals and intrinsic motivation: A meta-analytic review.Personality and Social Psychology Review, 3, 326–344.
Senko, C.M., Durik, A.M., & Harackiewicz, J.M. (2007). Historical perspectives and new directions in achievement goal theory: Understanding the effects of mastery and performance-approach goals. In J.Y. Shah & W. Gardner (Eds.),Handbook of Motivation Science. New York: Guilford.
Sideridis, G.D. (2005). Goal orientation, academic achievement, and depression: Evidence in favor of a revised goal theory framework.Journal of Educational Psychology, 97, 366–375.
Wolters, C.A. (2004). Advancing achievement goal theory: Using goal structures and goal orientations to predict students’ motivation, cognition, and achievement.Journal of Educational Psychology, 96, 236–250.
Wolters, C.A., Yu, S.L., & Pintrich, P.R. (1996). The relation between goal orientation and students’ motivational beliefs and self-regulated learning.Learning and Individual Differences, 8, 211–238.
Yzerbyt, V., Muller, D., & Judd, C.M. (2004). Adjusting researchers’ approach to adjustment: On the use of covariates when testing interactions.Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 40, 424–431.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
This work was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Darnon, C., Butera, F., Mugny, G. et al. “Too complex for me!” Why do performance-approach and performance-avoidance goals predict exam performance?. Eur J Psychol Educ 24, 423–434 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03178759
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03178759