Achievement Goals as Antecedents of Achievement Emotions: The 3 X 2 Achievement Goal Model
3.3 Path Analysis
A path analysis was conducted using AMOS 7.0 to test the relationships between goals and emotions. The valence dimension for emotions was modelled applying the correlated uniqueness approach [3]. The results (Fig. 1) showed as task-approach goals predicted all the emotions but anxiety.
Note. * p < .05, ** p < .01, *** p < .001.
Fig. 1. The standardized paths of the hypothesized model
They positively predicted both positive activity-related emotions (enjoyment, relaxation) and positive outcome-related emotions (hope, pride, relief), while they negatively predicted both negative activity-related emotions (anger, boredom) and
Other-avoidance goals Task-avoidance goals
Self-approach goals
Self-avoidance goals
Other-approach goals Task-approach goals
Enjoyment
Relaxation
Hope
Pride
Relief
Anger
Boredom
Anxiety
Shame
Hopelessness .37***
.19**
.32***
-.27***
-.18**
.14*
.32***
-.28***
-.13*
-.19**
.21**
-.14*
-.15*
.14*
.15*
.14*
.17*
negative outcome-related emotions (shame, hopelessness). Task-avoidance goals negatively predicted positive activity-related emotions (enjoyment, relaxation) and a positive outcome-related emotion (relief). Self-approach goals predicted a positive activity-related emotion (enjoyment). Self-avoidance and other-approach goals did not predict any emotion. Finally, other-avoidance goals positively predicted both a positive activity-related emotion (enjoyment) and positive outcome-related emotions (hope, pride, relief). The emotions with higher level of accounted variability were hope (18.5%) and pride (18.2%), followed by enjoyment (12.4%) and hopelessness (9.2%), while the emotions with less explained accounted variability were relaxation (4.3%) and anxiety (0.9%).
Table 1. Intercorrelations, means (M), standard deviations (SD), and α-values about achievement goals and achievement emotions
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
1. TAPG - - -
2. TAVG .63** - - - 3. SAPG .51** .58** - - - 4. SAVG .35** .55** .61** - - - 5. OAPG -.03 .10* .25** .37** - - - 6. OAVG .14** .32** .38** .52** .68** - - - 7. Enjoyment .31** .16** .24** .15** .05 .15** - - - 8. Relaxation .17** .05 .13** .07 .06 .05 .54** - - - 9. Hope .41** .27** .28** .18** .01 .15** .56** .42** - - - 10. Pride .39** .32** .27** .16** .08 .19** .63** .37** .64** - - - 11. Relief .16** .07 .14** .13** .12* .18** .54** .61** .45** .49** - - - 12. Anger -.22**-.14** -.10 -.03 .14** .08 -.15** -.12* -.25**-.15** .14** - - - 13. Boredom -.27**-.14** -.10* -.01 .11* .04 -.20** -.04 -.22**-.18** .11* .68** - - - - 14. Anxiety -.01 .01 .05 .06 .08 .07 -.12* -.43** -.13* -.03 -.13** .37** .35** - - - 15. Shame -.18** -.10* -.04 .02 .15** .10* .01 -.08 -.14** -.07 .17** .54** .45** .42** - - 16. Hopelessness -.25**-.14** -.04 .03 .15** .07 -.14 -.14**-.28**-.18** .11* .70** .71** .47** .57** - M 5.49 4.90 4.84 4.07 2.85 3.48 4.08 3.34 4.58 4.37 3.24 2.13 2.30 3.72 2.19 2.42 SD .98 1.12 1.28 1.35 1.32 1.51 1.21 1.24 1.18 1.20 1.11 1.08 1.04 1.37 1.22 1.13 α .77 .70 .80 .71 .83 .81 .81 .81 .77 .76 .68 .77 .70 .75 .81 .79 Note. * p < .05, ** p < .01.
4 Discussion and Conclusions
We examined the generalizability of the 3 X 2 model [5] to the Italian context and the validity of a questionnaire assessing achievement emotions [10], confirming the goodness of both instruments when used with university students about learning exam-relevant material. They will be proposed with an online methodology, as a TEL tool to monitor changes in motivation and emotions: During subsequent years of university, students will be administered longitudinally the same questionnaire, e- mailing an URL referred to an online version of the questionnaire, developed through
Achievement Goals as Antecedents of Achievement Emotions 59
the software ApsymSurvey [1]. Measures about achievement emotions could be integrated with graphical stimuli, particularly suitable for TEL environments [16].
We also extended current findings about the relationship between achievement goals and achievement emotions. First, task goals predicted both activity-related and outcome-related emotions, matched by valence (with some exceptions); self-approach goals positively predicted one activity-based emotion. These findings suggest an explanation for the partial inconsistency between the theoretical prediction of positive links between mastery goals and activity-related emotions, and the data about further links with outcome-related emotions [11, 12]. We partially agree with Putwain et al.
[14], underlining the role of grades in determining emotions also whether the goal concerns mastery of competence. However, we argue that comparisons involving grades could be salient when the goal is focused on the task (with links to activity- and outcome-related emotions), while they could be less important for goals focused on the self (with links to activity-related emotions), about which individuals could take into account other indicators, not necessarily based on the outcome, but related to the on-going processes. Second, other-avoidance goals positively predicted positive activity- and outcome-related emotions, differently from the hypotheses. This could be due to the low salience of comparisons to others, as suggested by the low scores of other goals, for a frequently solitary activity such as learning exam-relevant material.
Considering the salience of both achievement goals and emotions in learners’ daily life, our results might be useful from an applied perspective for the design of TEL programs. TEL environments, supporting a self-directed approach, could have a different impact on learners’ performance, on the basis of different achievement goals or emotional orientation. Therefore, a preliminary assessment of such constructs could help to orientate individuals towards different learning pathways, adapt to their individual attitudes. However, future research should examine deeper this issue involving TEL contexts, given that evidence-based indications on how to design educational settings taking into account individuals’ motivational and emotional dimensions are still scarce even for traditional learning contexts. In addition, a better comprehension of the links between achievement goals and achievement emotions is useful for the interpretation of the processes characterizing learning environments–
resulting from complex interactions between cognitive, motivational, and affective dimensions–and consequently to a better TEL programs’ design.
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61 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-07698-0_8, © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014