Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-8ctnn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-24T11:03:32.056Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

On the Nature of Motivational Orientations: Implications of Assessed Goals and Gender Differences for Motivational Goal Theory

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 January 2013

Jesús Alonso-Tapia ,
Juan A. Huertas  and
Miguel A. Ruiz
Jesús Alonso-Tapia*
Affiliation:
Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (Spain)
Juan A. Huertas
Affiliation:
Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (Spain)
Miguel A. Ruiz
Affiliation:
Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (Spain)
*
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Jesús Alonso-Tapia. Facultad de Psicología. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. 28049 Madrid. (Spain). Phone: +34-914974598. Fax: +34-914975215. E-Mail: jesus.alonso@uam.es
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

In a historical revision of the achievement goal construct, Elliot (2005) recognized that there is little consensus on whether the term “goal” in “achievement goal orientations” (GO) is best represented as an “aim”, as an overarching orientation encompassing several “aims”, or as a combination of aims and other processes -self-regulation, etc.-. Elliot pointed also that goal theory research provides evidence for different models of GO. As there were no consensus on these issues, we decided to get evidence about the nature and structure of GO, about the role of gender differences in the configuration of such structure, and about relations between GO, expectancies, volitional processes and achievement. A total of 382 university students from different faculties of two public universities of Madrid (Spain) that voluntarily accepted to fill in a questionnaire that assessed different goals, expectancies and self-regulatory processes participated in the study. Scales reliability, confirmatory factor analyses, multiple-group analyses, and correlation and regression analyses were carried out. Results support the trichotomous model of GO, the consideration of GO as a combination of aims and other psychological processes, showed some gender differences and favour the adoption of a multiple goal perspective for explaining students' motivation.

En una revisión histórica del constructo “metas de logro”, Elliot (2005) reconocía que no hay consenso sobre si el término “meta” en la expresión “orientación a metas” (OM) debe concebirse como un “objetivo específico”, como un concepto que abarca varias metas, o como una combinación de metas y otros procesos –autorregulación, etc.-. Asimismo señalaba que la investigación sobre la “teoría de metas” apoya diferentes modelos de OM. Al no existir consenso sobre estos temas, decidimos obtener evidencia sobre la naturaleza y estructura de las OM, sobre el papel de las diferencias de género en la configuración de esta estructura, y sobre las relaciones entre OM, expectativas, procesos volitivos y logros académico. Un total de 382 estudiantes universitarios de diferentes facultades de dos universidades públicas de Madrid (España) que aceptaron voluntariamente completar un cuestionario que evaluaba metas, expectativas y procesos autorregulatorios participaron en el estudio. Se realizaron deferentes análisis: fiabilidad, factoriales confirmatorios, multigrupo y de regresión. Los resultados apoyaron el modelo tricotómico de OM, la consideración de las OM como combinación de metas y otros procesos psicológicos, la adopción de la perspectiva de “múltiples metas” para explicar la motivación de los estudiantes, y pusieron de manifiesto algunas diferencias de género.

Keywords

achievement goalsgoal orientationsmultiple goalsself-regulationgender differencesachievement predictionmetas de logroorientación a metasmúltiples metasdiferencias de géneropredicción del rendimiento
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 13 , Issue 1 , May 2010 , pp. 232 - 243
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Agudo, R.& Huertas, J. A. (2002). Concepciones de los estudiantes universitarios sobre la motivación. [University student's conceptions on motivation]. In Monereo, C. & Pozo, J.I. La universidad ante la nueva cultura educativa. [University and the new educational culture]. (pp. 45–62). Madrid: SíntesisGoogle Scholar
Alonso-Tapia, J. (2005). Motives, expectancies and value-interests related to learning: The MEVA questionnaire. Psicothema, 17(3), 404–411.Google Scholar
Alonso-Tapia, J.& Fernández, B. (2008). Development and initial validation of the classroom motivational climate questionnaire (CMCQ). Psicothema, 20(4), 883–889.Google ScholarPubMed
Alonso-Tapia, J.& Fernández, B. (2009). Clima motivacional de clase: Validez transcultural e implicaciones educativas. [Classroom motivational climate: cross-cultural validity and educational implications] Infancia y Aprendizaje, 32, 597–612.Google Scholar
Alonso-Tapia, J.& Pardo, A. (2006). Assessment of learning environment motivational quality from the point of view of secondary and high school learners. Learning and Instruction, 16, 1–15.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Alonso-Tapia, J.& Ruiz, M. A. (2007). Motives related to learning and perceptions of environment motivational quality: how do they interact in university students? Psicothema, 19(4), 602–608.Google Scholar
Alonso-Tapia, J.& Ruiz, M. A. (2008). Motivation, self-regulation and academic achievement: A study on their relationships and educational implications coming from the structural and predictive validity of the MEVA questionnaire. Paper submitted for publication.Google Scholar
Ames, C. (1992). Achievement goals and the classroom motivational climate. In Schunk, D. H. & Meece, J. L. (Eds.), Students perceptions in the classroom (pp. 327–348). New York: Lawrence Erlbaum.Google Scholar
Ames, C.& Archer, J. (1988). Achievement goals in the classroom: students' learning strategies and motivation processes. Journal of Educational Psychology, 80, 260–267.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Arbuckle, J. L. (2003). Amos 5.0 Update to the Amos User's Guide. Chicago: Small Waters.Google Scholar
Boekaerts, M., Koning, E.& Vedder, P. (2006). Goal-directed behaviour and contextual factors in the classroom. An innovative approach to the study of multiple goals. Educational Psychologist, 41(1), 33–51.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bruner, J.S., Goodnow, J.J.& Austin, G.A. (1956). A study of thinking. New York: Wiley.Google Scholar
Clogg, C., Petkova, E.& Haritou, A. (1995). Statistical methods for comparing regression coefficients between models. The American Journal of Sociology, 100(5), 1261–1293.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Deci, E. L.& Ryan, R. M. (1985). Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behaviour. New York. Plenum Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dweck, C. (1986). Motivational processes affecting learning. American Psychologist, 41, 1040–1048.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Elliot, A. J. (2005). A conceptual history of achievement goal construct. In Elliot, A.J. & Dweck, C. (Eds.), Handbook of competence and motivation. (pp. 52–72). New York: Guilford.Google Scholar
Elliot, A. J.& McGregor, H. A. (2001). A 2 x 2 achievement goal framework. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 80, 501–519.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Elliot, A. J.& Trash, T. M. (2001). Achievement goals and the hierarchical model of achievement motivation. Educational Psychology Review, 12, 139–156.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Finney, S. J., Pieper, S. L.& Barron, K. E. (2004). Examining the psychometric properties of the Achievement Goal questionnaire in a General Academic Context. Journal of Psychological and Psychological measurement, 64(2), 365–382.Google Scholar
Grant, H.& Dweck, C. (2003). Clarifying achievement goals and their impact. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 85(3), 541–553.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., Anderson, R. E.& Tathan, R. L. (2006). Multivariate data analysis. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson-Prentice Hall.Google Scholar
Harackiewicz, J. M., Barron, K. E., Pintrich, P. R., Elliot, A. J., & Trash, T. M. (2002). Revision of Achievement Goal Theory: Necessary an Illuminating. Journal of Educational Psychology, 94(3), 638–645.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hayamizu, T.& Weiner, B. (1991). A test of Dweck's model of achievement goals as related to perceptions of ability. Journal of Experimental Education, 226–234.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kuhl, J.& Fuhrmann, A. (1998). Decomposing self-regulation and self-control: The volitional components inventory. In Heckhausen, J. & Dweck, C. (Eds.), Life-span perspectives on motivation and control. (pp. 15–49). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.Google Scholar
Meece, J. L., Anderman, E. M.& Anderman, L. H. (2006). Classroom goal structure, student motivation, and academic achievement. Annual Review of Psychology, 57, 487–503.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
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.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Midgley, C., Kaplan, A., Middleton, M., Maher, M. L., Urdan, T., Anderman, L. H., Anderman, E.& Roeser, R. (1998). The development and validation of scales assessing students' achievement goal orientations. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 23, 113–131.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pintrich, P. R., Smith, D. A., García, T.& McKeachy, W. J. (1991). A manual for the use of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ). Ann Arbor, M: National Center for Research to Improve Postsecondary Teaching and Learning & School of Education at the University of Michigan.Google Scholar
Plaut, V.C.& Markus, H.R. (2005). The “inside” story: A cultural-historical analysis of being smart and motivated, American Style. In Elliot, A.J. & Dweck, C. (Eds.), Handbook of competence and motivation. (pp. 457–488). New York: Guilford.Google Scholar
Valle, A., Cabanach, R. G., Núñez, J. G., González-Pienda, J., Rodríguez, S.& Piñero, I. (2003). Multiple goals, motivation and academic learning. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 73, 71–87.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Van Yperen, N. W. (2006). A novel approach to assessing achievement goals in the context of the 2x2 framework: Identifying distinct profiles of individuals with different dominant achievement goals. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 32(11), 1432–1445.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wentzel, K. R. (1997). Student motivation in middle school: The role of perceived pedagogical caring. Journal of Educational Psychology, 89(3), 411–419.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wigfield, A.& Wagner, A. L. (2005). Competence, motivation and identity development during adolescence. In Elliot, A. J. & Dweck, C. (Eds.), Handbook of competence and motivation. (pp. 222–239). New York: Guilford.Google Scholar
Zimmerman, B. J.& Schunk, D. H. (2008). Motivation: an Essentials dimension of self-regulated learning. In Schunk, D. H. & Zimmerman, B. J. (Eds.), Motivation and self-regulated learning. (pp. 1–30). New York: Laurence Erlbaum Associates.Google Scholar