Do reasons behind striving to do better than others differ in degree, kind, or both? A person-centred analysis of performance-approach goal complexes

Abstract

The achievement goal complex represents the integration of the specific achievement goal an individual pursues and the underlying reasons for that pursuit. Taking a person-centered approach, this study sought to identify subgroups of undergraduates differing in their reasons for pursuing a performance-approach goal and examine the associations between profile memberships and their backgrounds (gender, prior achievement, faculty affiliation) and psychoeducational outcomes (e.g., interest, satisfaction, course grade). The sample comprised 659 Thai undergraduates (27.5% female; M<inf>age</inf> = 19.09, SD<inf>age</inf> = 0.73) from the Faculties of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Management. Latent Profile Analysis identified four subgroups: Highly Motivated, Moderately Motivated, Minimally Motivated, and Autonomously Motivated. Theoretically meaningful associations emerged between background predictors and profile memberships. Compared with the Moderately and Minimally Motivated profiles, the Highly and Autonomously Motivated profiles were higher on desirable outcomes (e.g., self-efficacy) and lower on undesirable outcomes (e.g., hopelessness). Findings are discussed through a sociocultural lens and in terms of their contributions to the achievement goal literature.