ERIC Number: EJ933610
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011-Feb
Pages: 19
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0022-0663
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Separation of Performance-Approach and Performance-Avoidance Achievement Goals : A Broader Analysis
Murayama, Kou; Elliot, Andrew J.; Yamagata, Shinji
Journal of Educational Psychology, v103 n1 p238-256 Feb 2011
In the literature on achievement goals, performance-approach goals (striving to do better than others) and performance-avoidance goals (striving to avoid doing worse than others) tend to exhibit a moderate to high correlation, raising questions about whether the 2 goals represent distinct constructs. In the current article, we sought to examine the separability of these 2 goals using a broad factor-analytic approach that attended to issues that have been overlooked or underexamined in prior research. Five studies provided strong evidence for the separation of these 2 goal constructs: Separation was observed not only with exploratory factor analysis across different age groups and countries (Studies 1a and 1b) but also with change analysis (Study 2), ipsative factor analysis (Study 3), within-person analysis (Study 4), and behavioral genetics analysis (Study 5). We conclude by discussing the implications of the present research for the achievement goal literature, as well as the psychological literature in general. (Contains 1 footnote and 11 tables.)
Descriptors: Evidence, Achievement Need, Genetics, Educational Research, Factor Analysis, Academic Achievement, Goal Orientation, Correlation, Questionnaires, College Students, Junior High School Students, High School Students, Simulation, Statistical Analysis
American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org/publications
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
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Authoring Institution: N/A
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