Implicit Theories of Intelligence, Achievement Goal Orientation, and Academic Achievement of Engineering Students
The International Journal of Research and Review, Vol. 9, 2012
12 Pages Posted: 29 Jun 2013
Date Written: September 1, 2012
Abstract
The present study investigated how individuals’ belief about intelligence affects their achievement goal orientation, and in turn, results to better academic achievement. More specifically, when learners believe that intelligence can be improved, their goal orientation is more on mastery and this leads to better achievement. A model was tested using path analysis with 291 engineering students in Manila, Philippines. It was found that achievement goal orientation had no direct effect on academic achievement. On theories of intelligence, incremental theory was both significantly predicted by performance approach and mastery approach while entity theory predicted performance approach and performance avoidance. This supports the findings that entity theorists indeed tend to adopt performance goals while incremental theorists tend to adopt mastery goals. It was also found in the study that even incremental theorists actually adopt performance approach goals indicating that individuals who believe that intelligence can be improved still carry out tasks in comparison to others.
Keywords: Incremental Theory, Entity Theory, Achievement Goal Orientation
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