Achievement Goal Theory Flashcards
(27 cards)
What is the basic premise of Achievement Goal Theory?
People engage in achievement situations to demonstrate competence.
What are the two types of competence evaluation?
- Self-referenced (comparing with own previous performance)
- Other-referenced (comparing with others)
What is the difference between goal involvement and goal orientation?
Goal involvement is situation-specific and temporary, while goal orientation is a consistent personal disposition.
What type of criteria does task involvement use?
Self-referenced criteria to evaluate competence.
What is the focus of task involvement?
Learning, mastering tasks, and personal improvement.
What is a typical question someone with task involvement might ask?
“How can I best acquire this skill or master this task?”
What type of criteria does ego involvement use?
Other-referenced criteria to evaluate competence.
What is the focus of ego involvement?
Outperforming others and demonstrating superiority.
What is a typical question someone with ego involvement might ask?
“Am I good enough?” / “Am I better than others?”
What happens to behavior with high perceived ability and task involvement?
Persistence and challenge-seeking behavior.
What happens with low perceived ability and ego involvement?
Low persistence and task avoidance.
How does perceived ability influence achievement behavior under task and ego involvement?
High PA leads to persistence in both. Low PA leads to withdrawal especially in ego contexts.
Who was John Wooden and what did he emphasize?
A successful US basketball coach who emphasized effort and personal improvement over comparison with others.
Quote by John Wooden on success?
“Success is a direct result of knowing you made the effort to do your best to become the best you are capable of becoming.”
How does training context affect goal orientation?
Promotes task orientation by allowing skill development and practice.
How does competition context affect goal orientation?
Enhances ego orientation due to public evaluation and normative criteria.
What did the study involving tennis players examine?
The impact of training vs. competition contexts on task and ego orientation.
What were the findings of the tennis player study?
Task orientation was higher in training; ego orientation remained consistent across contexts.
What was the sample group used in the Achievement Goal Theory study?
Tennis players, mean age 20.
What was the method used in the study on achievement goal orientation?
A comparison of players’ responses to a competence questionnaire in training vs. competition contexts.
What did the competence questionnaire assess?
Task and ego orientation in relation to effort, enjoyment, perceived importance, and performance.
What was the main aim of the study?
To examine how training and competition contexts affect athletes’ task and ego orientations.
What were the findings regarding task orientation?
Task orientation was higher during training compared to competition.
What were the findings regarding ego orientation?
Ego orientation scores remained relatively consistent between training and competition contexts.
