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MENTAL MODEL · M4084

Achievement Goal Theory

Achievement Goal Theory
Learn & MetacognitionmediumEducational Psychology
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Updated 2026-08-08

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INTRODUCTION

English translation pending.

CORE DEFINITION

Developed by Carol Dweck, Elaine Elliott, and colleagues from the late 1970s, and extended by Andrew Elliot and others into a two-by-two model. Mastery goals concern developing ability and understanding; performance goals concern demonstrating ability or avoiding the demonstration of low ability. Elliot's revision splits each into approach and avoidance forms, so performance-approach and performance-avoidance carry different consequences. Mastery goals predict deeper processing, persistence after failure, and a preference for challenge; performance-avoidance goals predict withdrawal and self-handicapping. Goal adoption is shaped jointly by beliefs about whether ability is fixed and by situational cues such as grading and ranking.

SCAFFOLDING EFFECT

psychology

Reduce cognitive load

- Goal naming: Identify whether you are chasing genuine learning or the appearance of competence. - Feedback design: Reward strategy, effort, and progress rather than rank position in the group. - Climate reading: Check whether the environment's cues, such as public rankings, make ability look fixed.

anchor

Anchor fast decisions

Goals determine what counts as success and therefore which information the learner attends to. Under a mastery goal, failure is diagnostic and effort is the route to improvement, so attention goes to strategies and errors become informative. Under a performance goal, ability is on trial, so attention goes to how one appears; when success looks uncertain, avoidance protects the self-image by withdrawing effort. Because cues such as ranking and public comparison make ability salient, the same person can shift goals when the environment changes.

MINIMUM ACTION

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Source support: Explicit

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    en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goal_orientationZH · Explicit
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