Background/Purpose: As the latest development of the achievement goal theory, the 2×2 achievement goal model (mastery-approach, mastery-avoidance, performance-approach, and performance-avoidance) has recently been employed to understand student motivated behaviors and achievement in physical education (PE). However, the influence of this model on Chinese students' motivated behaviors (i.e., persistence/effort, task challenge) has received little attention. Additionally, few studies have examined their social goals (social responsibility and social relationship) for engaging in PE. Thus, this study examined the relationships among 2×2 achievement goals, social goals and motivated behaviors among Chinese middle school students in PE.
Method: Participants were 637 students (280 girls; 357 boys; M age = 13.8 years) enrolled into two middle schools in Shanghai, China. They completed standardized surveys assessing their achievement goals, social goals, persistence/effort and task challenge in PE.
Analysis/Results: Simple correlations revealed significant relationships among the study variables. Regression analyses indicated that mastery-approach, social responsibility, performance-approach and mastery-avoidance goals were significant predicators of persistence/effort (R2 = 61.6%; β = .37, .39, .13, .06, respectively; all p < .05). For task challenge, mastery-approach, performance-avoidance, social responsibility and performance-approach goals emerged as significant predictors (R2 = 16.6%; β = .23, -.19, .19, .10, respectively; all p < .05).
Conclusions: Mastery-approach, social responsibility and performance-approach goals emerged as significant positive predictors for both persistence/effort and task challenge. This finding suggests students, whose goals were mastering skills, adhering to social rules and performing better than others, were more likely to put forth effort and take challenges in PE.
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