British Journal of Educational Psychology

Volume 92, Issue 2 p. 394-408

Original Article

A multilevel account of social value-related reasons behind mastery goals

Annique Smeding,

Corresponding Author

Annique Smeding

[email protected]

orcid.org/0000-0002-7743-9578

Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Chambery Cedex, France

Correspondence should be addressed to Annique Smeding, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, LIP/PC2S, BP 1104, 73011 Chambéry cedex, France (email: [email protected]) and Benoît Dompnier, Université de Lausanne, Géopolis, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland (email: [email protected]).

Contribution: Conceptualization (equal), Data curation (equal), Formal analysis (equal), Investigation (equal), Methodology (equal), Project administration (equal), Supervision (equal), Visualization (equal), Writing - original draft (equal), Writing - review & editing (equal)

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Benoît Dompnier,

Corresponding Author

Benoît Dompnier

[email protected]

orcid.org/0000-0002-0990-6509

University of Lausanne, Switzerland

Contribution: Conceptualization (equal), Data curation (equal), Formal analysis (equal), Funding acquisition (equal), Investigation (equal), Methodology (equal), Project administration (equal), Supervision (equal), Visualization (equal), Writing - original draft (equal), Writing - review & editing (equal)

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Emanuele Meier,

Emanuele Meier

University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland, Manno, Switzerland

Contribution: Conceptualization (equal), Investigation (equal), Methodology (equal), Writing - review & editing (equal)

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Céline Darnon,

Céline Darnon

orcid.org/0000-0003-2613-689X

Univ. Clermont Auvergne, LAPSCO, France

Contribution: Conceptualization (equal), Methodology (equal), Writing - original draft (equal), Writing - review & editing (equal)

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Fabrizio Butera,

Fabrizio Butera

orcid.org/0000-0002-8856-4374

University of Lausanne, Switzerland

Contribution: Conceptualization (equal), Funding acquisition (equal), Methodology (equal), Writing - original draft (equal), Writing - review & editing (equal)

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Annique Smeding,

Corresponding Author

Annique Smeding

[email protected]

orcid.org/0000-0002-7743-9578

Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Chambery Cedex, France

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Benoît Dompnier,

Corresponding Author

Benoît Dompnier

[email protected]

orcid.org/0000-0002-0990-6509

University of Lausanne, Switzerland

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Emanuele Meier,

Emanuele Meier

University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland, Manno, Switzerland

Contribution: Conceptualization (equal), Investigation (equal), Methodology (equal), Writing - review & editing (equal)

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Céline Darnon,

Céline Darnon

orcid.org/0000-0003-2613-689X

Univ. Clermont Auvergne, LAPSCO, France

Contribution: Conceptualization (equal), Methodology (equal), Writing - original draft (equal), Writing - review & editing (equal)

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Fabrizio Butera,

Fabrizio Butera

orcid.org/0000-0002-8856-4374

University of Lausanne, Switzerland

Contribution: Conceptualization (equal), Funding acquisition (equal), Methodology (equal), Writing - original draft (equal), Writing - review & editing (equal)

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First published: 06 August 2021

https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12453

Citations: 2

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Abstract

Background

A growing literature focuses on reasons behind achievement goal endorsement, and mastery-approach goals (MG) specifically, and how these reasons influence academic performance. Past research provides evidence that student-level social value-related reasons behind MG moderate the MG-performance link in adolescents and young adults. However, we ignore whether this moderation is best conceived of as a student-level effect (i.e., students’ social value-related reasons), a class-level effect (i.e., influence of class-dependent contextual social value), or both.

Aims

This research aims at understanding the moderation of the MG-performance link by social value from a multilevel account, which is novel, as the student level has been the default level so far.

Sample

The study was conducted on a sample of 436 primary school students, from 3rd to 6th grade.

Methods

Students completed a MG scale adapted to their French classes under different instructions: standard, social desirability (answer to be viewed as likeable by your teacher), social utility (answer to be viewed as successful by your teacher), along with a dictation to measure performance, and socio-demographic measures.

Results

Results show that the moderation effect of social utility on the MG-dictation performance link is observed at the student level, but that the moderation by social desirability is best accounted for by class-level differences.

Conclusions

It is important to consider a multilevel framework when examining reasons behind MG reports, including social value-related reasons, both for future research and teachers in the classroom.

Conflicts of interest

All authors declare no conflict of interest.

Open Research

Data Availability Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding authors upon reasonable request.

Supporting Information

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Citing Literature

Volume92, Issue2

June 2022

Pages 394-408

A multilevel account of social value-related reasons behind mastery goals

Abstract

Background

Aims

Sample

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Conflicts of interest

Open Research

Data Availability Statement

Supporting Information

References

Citing Literature

References

Information

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A multilevel account of social value-related reasons behind mastery goals

Abstract

Background

Aims

Sample

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Conflicts of interest

Open Research

Data Availability Statement

Supporting Information

References

Citing Literature

References

Related

Information