Demonstrating Competence Within One’s Group or in Relation to Other Groups: A Person-Oriented Approach to Studying Achievement Goals in Small Groups

Publication date: Available online 3 June 2019Source: Contemporary Educational PsychologyAuthor(s): Toni Kempler Rogat, Lisa Linnenbrink-GarciaAbstractTwo studies investigated students’ adopted mastery and performance goals for group work, with an interest in exploring whether performance-approach goals functioned differently in small groups depending on whether the social comparison target resides outside the group (i.e., between-group comparison; performance-approach between group goals) or within the group (i.e., within-group comparison; performance-approach within goals). Using a person-oriented approach, six achievement goal profiles for group work were identified for middle school students in science (NStudy1 = 309) and upper elementary school students in mathematics (NStudy2 = 218). Some profiles included varying patterns of goal endorsement (e.g., high mastery goals, low performance-approach goals) while others reflected similar levels (high, medium, low) of goals. Across both studies, the six goal profiles were associated with varying patterns of group processes, cognitive engagement, and achievement. Most notably, students in profiles with high performance-approach within group goals had more detrimental outcomes, even when mastery goals were also strongly endorsed. In contrast, students in profiles with high mastery alone or in combination with high performance-approach between group goals had adaptive group process, cognitive engagement, and achievement outcomes...

Source: Contemporary Educational Psychology - June 4, 2019 Category: Child Development Source Type: research