Achievement Goals in Social Interactions: Learning with Mastery vs. Performance Goals

Little work has studied achievement goals in social interaction situations. The present experiment aimed at contributing to this matter by showing the potential of social interaction (in particular disagreement) to moderate the effects of achievement goals on learning. Participants were led to think they interacted with a partner, sharing opinions about a text that they were studying. Mastery and performance goals were manipulated. During the "interaction,” they received either disagreement or agreement from this bogus partner. Results showed that a condition in which mastery goals were induced led to better learning than a performance goal condition only when the partner disagreed. No differences between goal conditions were observed when the partner agreed. Implications for achievement goal research are discusse

Individual differences in perceived social desirability of Openness to experience: A new framework for social desirability responding in personality research

The extent to which response distortion – such as social desirability responding (SDR) – is present in self–report measures is an issue of concern and debate in personality research, as it may seriously impact such measures' psychometric indices. The present research aimed at using the social value framework to shed new light on SDR in self–report personality tests. Two studies tested the moderating role of individual differences in perceived social desirability of the Openness to Experience dimension for test–retest reliability and predictive validity of a typical Openness measure. Results support the hypothesized moderating role of perceived social desirability for improving test–retest reliability, providing the testing condition guarantees full anonymity (Study 1), and for predictive validity (Study 2). Findings are discussed with regards to SDR in personality research and the social value framework

Structured Cooperative Learning as a Means for Improving Average Achievers' Mathematical Learning in Fractions

International audienceIn primary school, learning fractions is a central mathematical objective. However, the mastery of basic procedures involving fractions presents a difficulty for many students. The aim of the current intervention is to introduce structured cooperative learning as means to improve students' learning, particularly for average achievers. Previous research has underscored that heterogeneous groups might be deleterious for average achievers because they are excluded by the teacher learner relationships that is likely to take place between low and high achievers students. This intervention proposes structuring interactions in order to boost the learning of average achievers in heterogeneous groups. We hypothesize that highly structured cooperative learning should improve average achievers' understanding of the content-targeted in group work as well as progress in terms of fractions learning, when compared to low-structured cooperative learning. In this intervention, 108 fifth graders worked cooperatively in heterogeneous triads (a low, average, and high achiever). The triads had to express the length of one segment using three rulers with different sub-units and respecting three mathematical skills regarding fractions. Triads were randomly assigned to a low-structured or high-structured cooperative learning condition. In the low-structured condition, no specific structure was provided. (i.e., they organized their cooperative work as they wished). In the high-structured condition, each student became an expert for one part before working in the triad and endorsed different responsibilities. The results indicated that highly structured cooperative learning favors the understanding of the targeted task, especially for average-ability students. Moreover, students at all levels progressed from the baseline test to the post-test. Indeed, low and high achievers had the same progression in both conditions, whereas average achievers progressed more in the highly structured condition. Results are discussed in terms of new teaching methods that could efficiently increase average achievers’ performances

Buts de performance et de maîtrise et interactions sociales entre étudiants : la situation particulière du désaccord avec autrui

D’après de nombreuses recherches (voir Dweck, 1986 ; Nicholls, 1984), les étudiants peuvent poursuivre deux types de buts lorsqu’ils réalisent une tâche d’apprentissage : le but de maîtrise (désir d’apprendre, de développer des connaissances) et le but de performance (désir de mettre en avant ses compétences, ses capacités). Cet article présente une synthèse de travaux portant sur les effets des buts dans la situation particulière où l’étudiant est amené à échanger avec un autre étudiant dont la réponse diverge (situation dite de « conflit sociocognitif », Doise & Mugny, 1997). D’une manière générale, les résultats des études présentées indiquent que le but de maîtrise favorise la régulation épistémique (régulation du conflit centrée sur la tâche, la compréhension du problème). De plus, il rend le conflit bénéfique à l’apprentissage. Le but de performance favorise en revanche la régulation relationnelle (régulation centrée sur l’affirmation de ses compétences) et rend le conflit néfaste à l’apprentissage.For many researchers (see Dweck, 1986; Nicholls, 1984), students can pursue two types of goals when carrying out a learning task: the mastery goal (desire to learn, to develop knowledge), and the performance goal (desire to show one’s own competence). The present paper presents an overview of the research about the achievement goals effects in the specific situation where a student is led to interact with another student whose answer is different from his/her own (the so-called “socio-cognitive conflict”, Doise & Mugny, 1984). As a whole, results show that the mastery goal favors epistemic regulation (a conflict regulation focused on the task, the understanding of the problem). Moreover, it renders conflict beneficial for learning. On the contrary, the performance goal favors relational regulation (a conflict regulation focused on assertion of self-competence) and renders conflict detrimental for learning.Según numerosas investigaciones (véanse Dweck, 1986; Nicholls, 1984), los estudiantes pueden perseguir dos tipos de objetivos cuando realizan una tarea de aprendizaje: el objetivo de dominio (deseo de aprender, de desarrollar conocimientos) y el objetivo de performancia (deseo de poner en evidencia sus competencias, sus capacidades). Los estudios presentados en este capítulo examinan los efectos de los objetivos en la situación particular en la que el estudiante se ve obligado a intercambiar con otro estudiante cuya respuesta difiere (situación llamada de “conflicto sociocognoscitivo”, Doise & Mugny, 1997). De manera general, los resultados de estos estudios indican que el objetivo de dominio favorece la regulación epistémica (regulación del conflicto centrada en la tarea, la comprensión del problema). Además, hace que el conflicto sea benéfico para el aprendizaje. El objetivo de performancia favorece en cambio la regulación relacional (regulación centrada en la afirmación de sus competencias) y hace que el conflicto sea nefasto al aprendizaje.Vielen Forschungsarbeiten zufolge (s. Dweck, 1986; Nicholls, 1984) können Studenten zweifache Ziele beim Lernen verfolgen: die Beherrschung (Hauptanliegen: lernen, seine Kenntnisse erweitern) und die Leistung (Hauptanliegen: seine Kompetenzen, seine Fähigkeiten hervorheben). Die in diesem Kapitel vorgelegten Forschungsarbeiten behandeln die Wirkungen der Zielsetzung in der besonderen Situation, wo der Student mit einem anderen Studenten ins Gespräch kommt, dessen Meinung nicht der eigenen entspricht (Situation des sogenannten „soziokognitiven Konflikts“, Doise & Mugny, 1997). Allgemein gesehen zeigen die Ergebnisse dieser Forschungsarbeiten, dass das Beherrschungsziel die epistemische Regelung fördert (Bei der Regelung des Konflikts steht die Aufgabe, das Verständnis des Problems im Mittelpunkt). Dazu kommt in diesem Fall der Konflikt dem Lernen zugute. Das Leistungsziel fördert dagegen die Beziehungsregelung (Bei der Regelung des Konflikts steht die Behauptung der eigenen Kompetenzen im Mittelpunkt) und macht den Konflikt für das Lernen schädlich

Sociocognitive Conflict Regulation: How to Make Sense of Diverging Ideas

Socio-cognitive conflict arises when people hold different views or ideas about the same object, and has the potential to promote learning, cognitive development and positive social relations. The promotion of these outcomes, however, depends on how the conflict is regulated and with what goals: Mastery goals predict epistemic conflict regulation and the elaboration of multiple ideas; performance-approach goals predict competitive conflict regulation and the promotion of one’s own ideas; performance-avoidance goals predict protective conflict regulation and the yielding to others’ ideas. Conflict regulation thus determines the conditions under which confronting diverging ideas results in positive cognitive and relational outcomes

Belief in School Meritocracy and the Legitimization of Social and Income Inequality

Educational institutions are imbued with an institutional meritocratic discourse: only merit counts for academic success. In this article, we study whether this institutional belief has an impact beyond its primary function of encouraging students to study. We propose that belief in school meritocracy has broader societal impact by legitimizing the social class hierarchy it produces and encouraging the maintenance of inequalities. The results of four studies (one correlational study, Ntotal = 198; one experiment, Ntotal = 198; and two international data surveys, Ntotal = 88,421 in 40+countries) indicate that belief in school meritocracy reduces the perceived unfairness of social class inequality in society, support for affirmative action policies at university and support for policies aimed at reducing income inequality. Together, these studies show that the belief that schools are meritocratic carries consequences beyond the school context as it is associated with attitudes that maintain social class and economic inequality

The social utility of performance-approach goals in a selective educational environment

International audienceAccording to the recent research, the educational system fulfills both an educational function (i.e., teaching and training students) and a selection function (i.e., determining students’ future position in the social hierarchy), particularly in higher education. It has been argued that in the university system the selection function provides a social utility value to performance-approach goals (i.e., the goal to demonstrate one’s own competences relative to others), which in turn increases the extent to which students endorse these goals. Two experiments investigated the influence of the salience of the selection function on performance-approach goals’ social value and endorsement. The results showed that the salience of the selection function increased both performance-approach goal endorsement (experiment 1 and 2) and performance-approach goals’ social utility (experiment 2). These goals’ social utility contributes to explaining the effect of the salience of the selection function on performance-approach goal endorsement. Limitations of the present experiments and practical implications are discussed

Analisis Pentingnya Penilaian Prestasi Kerja dalam Hubungannya dengan Peningkatan Motivasi Karyawan

Performance appraisal is one of many aspects that are very important in Human resource management. On the other hand, motivation is also vital for a Manager because it drives and directs all human behavior, including an employees performance. This short essay tries to analyze the relationship Between performance appraisal and motivation, and how performance appraisal system can enhance motivation of employees. The motivation itself is seen in the light of content and Process theorie

Belief in school meritocracy and the legitimization of social and income inequality

Published online: 17 August 2022Educational institutions are imbued with an institutional meritocratic discourse: only merit counts for academic success. In this article, we study whether this institutional belief has an impact beyond its primary function of encouraging students to study. We propose that belief in school meritocracy has broader societal impact by legitimizing the social class hierarchy it produces and encouraging the maintenance of inequalities. The results of four studies (one correlational study, Ntotal = 198; one experiment, Ntotal = 198; and two international data surveys, Ntotal = 88,421 in 40+countries) indicate that belief in school meritocracy reduces the perceived unfairness of social class inequality in society, support for affirmative action policies at university and support for policies aimed at reducing income inequality. Together, these studies show that the belief that schools are meritocratic carries consequences beyond the school context as it is associated with attitudes that maintain social class and economic inequality

Revisiting the Effects of Gender Diversity in Small Groups on Divergent Thinking: A Large-Scale Study Using Synchronous Electronic Brainstorming

Numerous studies have examined the effects of gender diversity in groups on creative performance, and no clear effect has been identified. Findings depend on situational cues making gender diversity more or less salient in groups. A large-scale study on two cohorts (N = 2,261) was conducted among business students to examine the impact of the gender diversity in small groups on divergent thinking in an idea-generation task performed by synchronous electronic brainstorming. Participants were automatically randomized in three- or four-member groups to generate ideas during 10 min on a gendered or neutral task. Then, five categories of groups where the proportion of men/women in groups varied from three/four men to three/four women were compared to examine creative performance on three divergent thinking measures (fluency, flexibility, and originality). A Multivariate Generalized Linear Mixed Model (mGLMM) showed greater fluency in all-women groups than in other groups (except mixed-gender groups composed of two men and two women), and more specifically “solo” groups composed of a single woman/man among a majority of men/women. For flexibility and originality, the superiority of all-women groups was found only in comparison to “solo” groups composed of a single woman. As gender differences are more salient in “solo” groups than in other groups faultlines may appear in groups, leading to a deleterious impact on creative performance