Goal orientation profiles and task performance growthtrajectories

摘要

Goal orientation theories were used to generatepredictions regarding the moderating effect of goal orienta-tion profiles on task performance growth trajectories.Participants were given multiple trials of practice on an airtraffic control task. Analyses were conducted using growthcurve modeling. As expected, individuals with highperformance-approach orientation improved their taskperformance scores faster than their counterparts. Theinteraction between mastery and performance-avoid orien-tations moderated the performance growth curve such thatindividuals with high mastery and low performance-avoidorientation improved their performance at the fastest rate.The interaction between performance-approach and perfor-mance-avoid orientations also moderated the performancegrowth curve. Individuals with low performance-approachand high performance-avoid orientation improved theirperformance at the slowest rate. These findings contribute totheory and practice by elucidating how various combinations.of goal orientations influence the rate of skill acquisition.