Social-Cognitive Model of Achievement Motivation Notes

Personality Processes and Individual Differences: The Social–Cognitive Model

Core Constructs

• Implicit Theories of Ability: Individuals' beliefs about the nature of competence.
  • Entity Theory: Ability is stable and immutable.
  • Incremental Theory: Ability is amenable to change.
• Achievement Goals: Representations of competence-based outcomes.
  • Performance Goals: Focus on demonstrating competence.
  • Mastery Goals: Focus on developing competence.
• Perceived Competence: Beliefs about what one can accomplish in competence-relevant settings.

Dweck's Social-Cognitive Model

• Dweck and colleagues proposed a model linking implicit theories, achievement goals, and perceived competence to achievement outcomes.
• The model suggests:
  • Entity theory and performance goals predict maladaptive outcomes (low persistence, performance, intrinsic motivation), especially upon failure.
  • Incremental theory and mastery goals predict adaptive outcomes (high persistence, performance, intrinsic motivation), regardless of failure.
• Implicit theories are seen as predictors of achievement goals, which in turn affect outcomes.
  • Entity theory leads to performance goals and negative outcomes.
  • Incremental theory leads to mastery goals and positive outcomes.
• Perceived competence moderates the impact of implicit theories and achievement goals.
  • Entity theory and performance goals have negative effects when perceived competence is low.
  • Incremental theory and mastery goals have positive effects, regardless of perceived competence.

Empirical Support and Modifications

• Strong support exists for implicit theory hypotheses.
  • Entity theory is linked to negative outcomes; incremental theory to positive ones.
  • Entity theory predicts performance goal adoption; incremental theory predicts mastery goal adoption.
• Mixed support exists for the impact of achievement goals.
  • Performance goals sometimes lead to negative outcomes, sometimes positive.
  • Mastery goals generally lead to positive outcomes, but not always performance attainment.
• Limited support exists for perceived competence as a moderator.
• Suggested modifications include:
  • Emphasizing the direct impact of implicit theories on outcomes.
  • Highlighting the negative impact of entity theory and performance goals.

The 2 x 2 Achievement Goal Framework

• Combines the performance-mastery distinction with the approach-avoidance distinction.
• Framework comprises four achievement goals:
  • Mastery-Approach: Focused on attaining task-based competence.
  • Performance-Approach: Focused on attaining normative competence.
  • Mastery-Avoidance: Focused on avoiding task-based incompetence.
  • Performance-Avoidance: Focused on avoiding normative incompetence.
• The framework posits that approach and avoidance forms of performance and mastery goals have different antecedents and consequences.
• Using the 2 x 2 framework can help to show the intermediary role of achievement goals in the social-cognitive model.
• Implicit theories and perceived competence are seen as independent antecedents of achievement goal adoption.

Present Research

• Two studies were conducted to examine the modified social-cognitive model.
  • Study 1: Field study predicting math performance.
  • Study 2: Laboratory experiment predicting IQ test performance and intrinsic motivation.

Study 1: Math Performance

• Hypotheses:
  • Entity theory predicts lower math performance and incremental theory predicts higher math performance.
  • Entity theory leads to norm-based goals (performance-approach and performance-avoidance).
  • Incremental theory leads to task-based goals (mastery-approach and mastery-avoidance).
  • Performance-based goals predict performance; mastery-based goals do not.
  • Performance-avoidance goals mediate the negative impact of entity theory on performance.
  • Performance-approach goals suppress the negative impact of entity theory on performance.
  • High perceived competence leads to approach goals; low perceived competence leads to avoidance goals.
• Method:
  • Participants: 463 students in Marseille, France.
  • Procedure: Measures of perceived competence, implicit theories, and achievement goals were administered. Math grades were collected.
  • Measures: Implicit theories, perceived competence, achievement goals (using Elliot and McGregor’s Achievement Goals Questionnaire), and math grades.
• Results:
  • Entity theory was a negative predictor, and incremental theory and perceived competence were positive predictors of math performance.
  • Incremental theory and perceived competence positively predicted mastery-approach goals.
  • Entity theory and perceived competence positively predicted performance-approach goals.
  • Incremental theory positively predicted mastery-avoidance goals, while perceived competence negatively predicted it.
  • Entity theory positively predicted performance-avoidance goals, while perceived competence negatively predicted it.
  • Performance-avoidance goals mediated the negative impact of entity theory on performance.
  • Performance-approach goals suppressed the negative impact of entity theory on performance.
  • Performance-approach and performance-avoidance goals mediated the direct relation between perceived competence and math performance.
• Discussion:
  • Results supported predictions.
  • The study demonstrated the utility of the 2 × 2 framework.

Study 2: IQ Test Performance and Intrinsic Motivation

• Hypotheses:
  • Replicate Study 1 findings in an experimental setting.
  • Entity theory has a negative effect on intrinsic motivation.
  • Entity theory increases performance-approach and performance-avoidance goals, and decreases mastery-approach and mastery-avoidance goals.
  • Mastery-approach goals facilitate intrinsic motivation; mastery-avoidance goals undermine it.
  • Performance-avoidance goals undermine intrinsic motivation.
  • Mastery-approach and performance-avoidance goals mediate the negative effect of entity theory on intrinsic motivation.
  • Mastery-avoidance goals suppress the negative effect of entity theory on intrinsic motivation.
  • High perceived competence prompts approach goals; low perceived competence prompts avoidance goals.
• Method:
  • Participants: 96 students in Marseille, France.
  • Design: 2 (implicit theory: entity vs. incremental) × 2 (initial feedback: positive vs. negative).
  • Procedure: Participants completed a measure of perceived competence, were given an implicit theory manipulation, and performed a coding task. Intrinsic motivation and achievement goals were measured.
  • Measures: Implicit theory manipulation check, perceived competence, achievement goals, coding subtest of the WISC–III, and Intrinsic Motivation Scale.
• Results:
  • The implicit theory manipulation was effective.
  • Entity theory led to lower IQ test performance and intrinsic motivation.
  • Perceived competence was positively related to IQ test performance and intrinsic motivation.
  • Entity theory increased performance-approach and performance-avoidance goals and decreased mastery-approach and mastery-avoidance goals.
  • Performance-avoidance goals mediated the negative effect of entity theory on IQ test performance, whereas performance-approach goals suppressed this effect.
  • Mastery-approach and performance-avoidance goals mediated the negative effect of entity theory on intrinsic motivation, whereas mastery-avoidance goals suppressed this effect.
  • Performance-approach and performance-avoidance goals mediated the direct relation between perceived competence and IQ test performance; mastery-approach, mastery-avoidance, and performance-avoidance goals mediated the direct relation between perceived competence and intrinsic motivation.
• Discussion:
  • Results supported predictions and replicated Study 1.
  • The study demonstrated the utility of the 2 × 2 framework.

General Discussion

• The two studies displayed convergence, supporting the utility of attending to the approach–avoidance distinction.
• Achievement goals were confirmed as intermediary variables.
• Perceived competence was a predictor of achievement goals, rather than a moderator.
• The studies highlighted the real-world significance of implicit theories and achievement goals.
• The research reinforced the importance of achievement goals as proximal predictors and illustrated the utility of the approach–avoidance distinction.
• The modified social-cognitive model fits within the hierarchical model of achievement motivation.
• Future research should explore what leads some entity theorists to adopt performance-approach goals and the processes through which incremental theory impacts performance.