VIII. Motivation: 3 x 2 Achievement Goals Questionnaire in Sport (3x2 AGQ for Sport)

Background

Within the achievement goal theory research, different labels or forms of achievement goals have been identified by different researchers such as Ames (1984), Dweck (1986), Maehr (Maehr & Nicholls, 1980), and Nicholls (1989). Despite the different labels, there is a common agreement that two major achievement goals operate in achievement settings. The first goal perspective focuses on self-referenced mastery or learning how to do the task and is labelled by terms such as “learning”, “mastery”, and “task-involved” goals. The second perspective emphasizes normative comparison of ability or performance relative to others and is labelled by terms such as “performance”, “ability”, and “ego-involved” goals (Pintrich, 2000). Both of these goals are approach in nature (Ames, 1992; Nicholls, Cheung, Lauer, & Patashnick, 1989). In recent years, the two achievement goals have developed into a trichotomous goal framework (Elliot & Harackiewicz, 1996) with the addition of approach and avoidance dimensions, refinement into a 2 × 2 achievement goal framework (Elliot, 1999), and more recently, a 3 × 2 achievement goal model (Elliot, Murayama, & Pekrun, 2011) was proposed.

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to examine the psychometric properties of the 3 × 2 achievement goal questionnaire (AGQ) for sport. A total of 475 university athletes (263 males, 212 females), ranging from 20 to 29 years of age (M= 24.27, SD = 2.30) took part in the study. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis supported the measurement model of the 3 × 2 AGQ as well as the invariance of the measurement model across gender and type of sport. There were inconsistent loadings to the hypothesised latent factors in the uncorrelated-trait and uncorrelated-method to support the existence of the dual meaning models. Generally, the 3 × 2 achievement goals were linked to other key variables central to the achievement goal literature in a theoretically coherent manner. This study supported the use of the 3 × 2 achievement goal measure in the sport domain. Finally, the findings suggest some cultural differences between Singaporean and Western athletes in the conceptualization of approach and avoidance tendencies.

Scales and Subscales

The 3x2 AGQ for Sport consists of 6 subscales, that is, task-approach, task-avoidance, self-approach, self-avoidance, other-approach, and other-avoidance goals.

References

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Ames, C. (1992). Classrooms: Goals, structures, and student motivation. Journal of Educational Psychology, 84, 261–271.

Dweck, C. S. (1986). Motivational processes affecting learning. American Psychologist, 41, 1040–1048.

Elliot, A. J. (1999). Approach and avoidance motivation and achievement goals. Educational Psychologist, 34(3), 169–189.

Elliot, A. J., & Harackiewicz, J. M. (1996). Approach and avoidance achievement goals and intrinsic motivation: A mediational analysis. Journal of Personality and Social   Psychology, 70, 461–475. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.70.3.461

Elliot, A. J., Murayama, K., & Pekrun, R. (2011). A 3 X 2 achievement goal model. Journal of Educational Psychology, 103(3), 632–648.                https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/a0023952

Maehr, M. L., & Nicholls, J. G. (1980). Culture and achievement motivation: A second look. In N. Warren (Ed.), Studies in cross-cultural psychology (Vol. 3, pp. 221–267).       New York: Academic Press.

Nicholls, J. G. (1989). The competitive ethos and democratic education. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Nicholls, J. G., Cheung, P. C., Lauer, J., & Patashnick, M. (1989). Individual differences in academic motivation: Perceived ability, goals, beliefs, and values. Learning and    Individual Differences, 1(1), 63–84

Pintrich, P. R. (2000). Multiple goals, multiple pathways: The role of goal orientation in learning and achievement. Journal of Educational Psychology, 92, 544–555.         https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.92.3.544

Citation

Wang, C. K. J., Liu, W. C., Sun, Y., & Chua, L. L. (2017). Psychometric properties of the 3 x 2 achievement goal questionnaire for sport. International Journal of Sport and       Exercise Psychology, 15(5), 460-474. DOI: 10.1080/1612197X.2016.1142458