Achievement Goals, Reasons for Goal Pursuit, and Achievement Goal Complexes as Predictors of Beneficial Outcomes : Is the Influence of Goals Reducible to Reasons?

摘要

In the present research, we proposed a systematic approach to disentangling the shared and unique varianceexplained by achievement goals, reasons for goal pursuit, and specific goal-reason combinations (i.e.,achievement goal complexes). Four studies using this approach (involving nearly 1,800 participants) led to 3basic sets of findings. First, when testing goals and reasons separately, mastery (-approach) goals andautonomous reasons explained variance in beneficial experiential (interest, satisfaction, positive emotion) andself-regulated learning (deep learning, help-seeking, challenging tasks, persistence) outcomes. Second, whentesting goals and reasons simultaneously, mastery goals and autonomous reasons explained independentvariance in most of the outcomes, with the predictive strength of each being diminished. Third, when testinggoals, reasons, and goal complexes together, the autonomous mastery goal complex explained incrementalvariance in most of the outcomes, with the predictive strength of both mastery goals and autonomous reasonsbeing diminished. Comparable results were observed for performance (-approach) goals, the autonomousperformance goal complex, and performance goal-relevant outcomes. These findings suggest that achievementgoals and reasons are both distinct and overlapping constructs, and that neither unilaterally eliminates theinfluence of the other. Integrating achievement goals and reasons offers the most promising avenue for a fullaccount of competence motivation.