A hierarchical model of approach-avoidance achievement motivation has recently been proffered (Elliot & Church, in press) and the proposed research investigates an important aspect of the model - the relationship between achievement goals and emotional experience. Three types of achievement goals are posited in the model: a mastery goal (focused on task mastery), a performance-approach goal (focused on attaining normative competence), and a performance-avoidance goal (focused on avoiding normative incompetence). These goals are hypothesized to interact with perceived competence (PC) such that each achievement goal/PC combination leads to a distinct emotional experience. Three studies, using diverse methodologies, are proposed to test this hypothesis. In study 1, participants (Ps) will recall a real-life event corresponding to one of the achievement goal/PC combinations and then report the emotion they experienced during the event. In study 2, achievement goals will be instantiated in an actual achievement setting and Ps will indicate their emotion following the receipt of positive or negative feedback. In study 3, Ps will identify their personal achievement goals at the beginning of a semester and then indicate their PC and corresponding emotion for each goal at mid- semester. Results from the proposed research will establish the foundation for a subsequent set of studies designed to link the distinct emotions elicited by different achievement goal/PC combinations to distinct psychological and physical well-being outcomes such as life satisfaction, psychopathology, and somatic symptomatology. In addition, delineating the relationship between achievement goal/PC combinations and distinct emotions will fill empirical lacunas in both the achievement motivation and appraisal literatures and will have practical implications for employers, teachers, and coaches. Finally, the proposed research will facilitate the broad, long-term objective of acquiring a comprehensive understanding of approach and avoidance achievement motivation.
| Elliot, Andrew J; Thrash, Todd M (2002) Approach-avoidance motivation in personality: approach and avoidance temperaments and goals. J Pers Soc Psychol 82:804-18 |
| Elliot, A J; McGregor, H A (2001) A 2 X 2 achievement goal framework. J Pers Soc Psychol 80:501-19 |
| Elliot, A J; McGregor, H A (1999) Test anxiety and the hierarchical model of approach and avoidance achievement motivation. J Pers Soc Psychol 76:628-44 |
| Elliot, A J; Sheldon, K M (1998) Avoidance personal goals and the personality-illness relationship. J Pers Soc Psychol 75:1282-99 |
