Motivation and Learning Strategies for College Success : A Self-management Approach

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66   CHAPTER 3

ing and critical thinking. In general, they do not think about what

they learn, but rather look for shortcuts and quick payoffs. Students

with performance goals want to look competent (e.g., Safe Susan) or

avoid looking incompetent (e.g., Defensive Dimitri).

In general, the research suggests that adopting a mastery goal ori-

entation has positive academic outcomes (Ames, 1992). However, it

has been found that performance goals, but not mastery goals, were

related to academic performance in introductory college classes

(Harackiewicz, Barron, Carter, Lehto, & Elliot, 1997). The researchers

argued that in large lecture classes where instructors’ grade on a curve

and success is defined as outperforming others, performance goals can

lead to academic success. Another important issue to consider is that

multiple-choice tests often are used in such settings and may assess

more factual rather than deeper understanding of the material. Thus,

the grading method and/or type of tests used may create a performance-

oriented classroom environment. In the same investigation, the

researchers found that mastery goals predicted interest in the intro-

ductory class, whereas performance goals did not. We have an inter-

esting dilemma: each goal was related to one indicator of success

(academic performance or interest) but not the other. In this situation,

it appears that students who endorsed both goals were most likely to

like the course and achieve well.

AND PERFORMANCE GOAL

lowing statements as either mastery (M) or performance (P) goal ori-

EXERCISE 3.3: IDENTIFYING MASTERY

ORIENTATIONS

Directions: Based on the information in Table 3.1, classify the fol-

ented by writing an M or a P in the space provided:

1. “I enjoy finding extra material to read in this course.”


2. “It is important to me to do better than my friends.”


3. “If you don’t have the ability to do well, more effort is a
   waste of time.”


4. “I’m not doing as well as I can, but I will improve.”


5. “My adviser thinks I should take another advanced math course,
   but I don’t want to because it may lower my average.”

In the following section, two students present different views on

goal orientation. The first student admits that his primary goal ori-

entation is to meet requirements, not learn. The second student reports