Goal orientations, perceived self-efficacy and study results amongst beginners and advanced students

On the basis of previous research, it was expected that perceived self-efficacy and social comparison would contribute to pursued goals and that these goals would influence course grades. It was further expected that a task orientation would contribute to perceived self-efficacy, and that an ego orientation would contribute to social comparison.

The central question in the present study is whether the relationships between the above-mentioned motivational variables are as strongly developed in a particular area amongst beginners as they are amongst more advanced students. In view of the fact that beginners' knowledge concerning task requirements is restricted, we predicted that whilst relationships between these variables would be weak or absent in the case of beginners, they would be relatively strong amongst more advanced students.

The sample consisted of 150 students from a secondary school.

The participants answered questions about goal orientations, appraisals of self-efficacy, social comparison and about their personal goals. Course grades were used as a measure of study results.

It was found that amongst the beginners and the advanced students perceived self-efficacy contributed to pursued goals and these goals in turn contributed to course grades. The relations between these variables were clearly less strong for the beginners than for the advanced students. Furthermore, it was ascertained that a task orientation contributed only to perceived self-efficacy amongst the advanced students, suggesting that for these students motivational variables were operative whereas they were still undeveloped amongst the beginners.