Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 10, 2026
06:45
Task Interruption and Resumption Paradigm for Testing the Activation and Pursuit of an Abstract Thinking Goal
Published on: April 18, 2017
To master or perform? Exploring relations between achievement goals and conceptual change learning
John Ranellucci1, Krista R Muis, Melissa Duffy
1Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
The British Journal of Educational Psychology
|July 5, 2013
Summary
Mastery-approach goals foster deep and shallow processing, enhancing conceptual change in physics learning. Performance goals hinder conceptual change, while processing strategies are key mediators.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Educational Psychology
- Physics Education
Background:
- Conceptual change is crucial for learning complex scientific concepts.
- Understanding the interplay between achievement goals and processing strategies is vital for effective learning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between achievement goals (mastery-approach, performance-approach, performance-avoidance) and conceptual change.
- To examine how deep and shallow processing strategies mediate these relationships.
- To explore the role of processing depth in conceptual change within Newtonian mechanics.
Main Methods:
- Seventy-three undergraduates assessed for prior knowledge and misconceptions in Newtonian mechanics.
- Participants reported achievement goal orientations.
- Think-aloud protocols used while reading Newtonian physics texts to analyze processing strategies.
Main Results:
- Mastery-approach goals positively predicted both deep and shallow processing, and conceptual change.
- Performance-approach goals did not predict processing strategies but negatively predicted conceptual change.
- Performance-avoidance goals negatively predicted deep processing and conceptual change.
- Both deep and shallow processing strategies positively predicted conceptual change and recall, mediating the effect of mastery-approach goals.
Conclusions:
- Findings partially support the Cognitive Reconstruction of Knowledge Model.
- The depth of processing plays a significant role in conceptual change, though its exact function is complex.
- Achievement goals influence learning through both direct effects and mediated pathways involving processing strategies.
Related Concept Videos
01:21Cognitive Learning
Cognitive learning is based on purposive behavior, incidental learning, and insight learning.
E. C. Tolman's theory of purposive behavior emphasizes that much behavior is goal-directed. He argued that to understand behavior, we must look at the entire sequence of actions leading to a goal. For instance, high school students study hard, not just due to past reinforcement but also to achieve the goal of getting into a good college.
Tolman introduced the idea that behavior is influenced by...
E. C. Tolman's theory of purposive behavior emphasizes that much behavior is goal-directed. He argued that to understand behavior, we must look at the entire sequence of actions leading to a goal. For instance, high school students study hard, not just due to past reinforcement but also to achieve the goal of getting into a good college.
Tolman introduced the idea that behavior is influenced by...
01:26Metacognition
Metacognition is a conscious process where individuals are aware of their cognitive and executive processes, such as planning before solving a problem or self-monitoring during reading. For instance, a writer may need help with composing a piece. The situation involves a writer who is working on a piece of writing, but while doing so, they realize that something is missing. They notice that their characters lack depth or details. This realization occurs because the writer is reflecting on their...
01:22Purposive Learning
E. C. Tolman emphasized the purposiveness of behavior — the idea that much of our behavior is goal-directed. For instance, employees who aim for a promotion work diligently to meet their targets. Tolman argued that when classical conditioning and operant conditioning occur, the organism acquires certain expectations. In classical conditioning, a child might fear a dog because they expect it to bite. In operant conditioning, a person might consistently work overtime because they expect a bonus...
01:24Growth versus Fixed Mindset
Carol Dweck introduced the term mindset to describe individuals' beliefs about their intellectual and personal capabilities. These beliefs significantly influence psychological processes such as motivation, goal-setting, and perseverance, ultimately shaping academic and life outcomes. Individuals generally possess one of two mindsets- a fixed or a growth mindset—each promoting different responses to success, failure, and challenge.Fixed vs. Growth MindsetA fixed mindset assumes that one's...
01:29Theory of Attribution II: Kelley's Covariation Theory
Attribution theory plays a crucial role in social psychology, helping to explain how individuals interpret the causes of behavior. One prominent model within this field is Harold Kelley's covariation theory, which provides a systematic approach to determining whether internal traits or external circumstances drive a person's actions. The model posits that individuals rely on three key types of information—consensus, consistency, and distinctiveness—to make these judgments.Consensus: Comparing...
01:29Self-Evaluation Maintenance Model
The Self-Evaluation Maintenance (SEM) model offers a psychological framework to understand how individuals’ self-esteem is influenced by the achievements of others, particularly those with whom they share close personal bonds. The SEM model operates when personal rather than social identity guides individuals. Central to this model is the notion that individuals have an inherent desire to preserve a favorable self-image, which is continuously shaped by interpersonal comparisons and...