Title

Short-Term and Long-Term Consequences of Achievement Goals in College: Predicting Continued Interest and Performance Over Time

Department/School

Psychology

Date

2000

Document Type

Article

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.92.2.316

Abstract

Why do some students excel in their college classes and develop interest in an academic discipline? The authors examined both the short-term and long-term consequences of students' achievement goals in an introductory psychology course. Mastery goals positively predicted subsequent interest in the course, but not course grades. Performance goals positively predicted grades, but not interest. Three semesters later, the authors obtained measures of continued interest in the discipline and long-term performance. Mastery goals predicted subsequent enrollment in psychology courses, whereas performance goals predicted long-term academic performance. These positive and complementary effects of mastery and performance goals on different measures of academic success are consistent with a multiple-goals perspective in which both goals can have beneficial consequences in college education.

Volume

92

Issue

2

Published in

Journal of Educational Psychology

Citation/Other Information

Harackiewicz, J. M., Barron, K. E., Tauer, J. M., Carter, S. M., & Elliot, A. J. (2000). Short-Term and Long-Term Consequences of Achievement Goals in College: Predicting Continued Interest and Performance Over Time. Journal of Educational Psychology, 92(2), 316-330. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.92.2.316

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