The Influence Mechanism Of Achievement Goals On College Students' Internal-external Motivation And Academic Achievement

In the contemporary achievement motivation literature, achievement goal approach is one of the most predominant achievement motivation approaches. A number of studies have revealed that achievement goals-the aim that people is committed to guide and sustain their behaviour -influence students'motivational, affective, cognitive and behavioural outcomes differentially. Based on the hierarchical model of achievement motivation (including the terms of goal complexes), the study aimed to explore the influence of achievement goals on students'extrinsic and intrinsic motivation and academic performance, wherein the college students took part in this study as participant and the questionnaires of achievement goals were adopted.First, based on the hierarchical model of achievement motivation, this research (Study 1) was to examine the impact of achievement goals and Big Five personality traits on extrinsic and intrinsic motivation and academic performance among 509 undergraduate students from universities in Nanjing, particularly the mediating effects of achievement goals in the relationship between Big Five personality traits and extrinsic and intrinsic motivation and academic performance. It showed that neuroticism and conscientiousness affected academic performance indirectly through achievement goals, while agreeableness and conscientiousness positively and significantly affected academic performance. Moreover, neuroticism affected extrinsic motivation indirectly through achievement goals, while conscientiousness affected intrinsic motivation indirectly through achievement goals. In addition, neuroticism positively predicted extrinsic motivation, while agreeableness and conscientiousness predicted extrinsic motivation negatively. Agreeableness negatively and significantly affected intrinsic motivation, while extraversion and conscientiousness predicted intrinsic motivation positively.Then, based on the concept of goal complexes, Study 2 was to examine the moderating roles of the satisfaction of relateness, autonomy and competence needs in the relationships between achievement goals and extrinsic and intrinsic motivation and academic performance. It investigated 652 undergraduate students from a university in Lanzhou and found that the perceived fulfillment of the three basic psychological needs significantly moderated the relationships of intrinsic motivation to mastery-approach goals and performance-approach goal, respectively. The relations between the above goals and intrinsic motivation were stronger when students perceived higher levels of need satisfaction. Moreover, the relationships between performance approach goals and academic performance were significantly moderated by the satisfaction of relateness and competence. Specifically, under the higher level of competence satisfaction, students who were more likely to adopt performance-approach goals achieved higher academic performance.In the end, this research draw the conclusions, analyzed the contributions and limitations, and proposed future research directions for the domestic research on achievement goals in examining their nature in achievement settings. The effect of achievement goals on the extrinsic and intrinsic motivation and academic performance was significantly affected by Big Five personality traits and basic psychological needs satisfaction. Implications for higher education on how to promote students'adaptable learning and healthy development are also discussed.