Goal Orientation and Self-Regulated Learning in the College Classroom: A Cross-Cultural Comparison

Abstract

Goal orientation theory predicts that adopting a mastery goal will facilitate self-regulated learning and that endorsement of relative ability goals or extrinsic goals will be negatively related to self-regulated learning. Most empirical research has supported this general principle (see Ames, 1992 for review). However, some recent research suggests that, contrary to normative goal theory predictions, adoption of a relative ability goal can facilitate self-regulated learning in middle school students (Wolters, Yu, & Pintrich, 1996). This study found that, in line with normative goal theory predictions, adopting a mastery goal where the student focuses on learning was positively related to self-efficacy, use of deeper processing strategies, and metacognitive strategies. At the same time, adopting an extrinsic goal, where the student focuses on grades or rewards, was negatively related to efficacy and strategy use, again in line with goal theory predictions. However, contrary to goal theory, students who adopted a relative ability goal, where the student is focused on besting others, also had higher levels of self-efficacy, strategy use and metacognition. These results were interpreted in terms of a general social cognitive model of self-regulated learning where focusing on social comparison can provide important feedback for self-regulatory purposes as well as help maintain motivation in the face of often over-learned and boring classroom tasks.