Metamotivational task knowledge of performance-approach and performance-avoidance achievement goals

The present research is the first to integrate metamotivation and achievement goals and comprises two pre-registered experiments examining metamotivational task knowledge regarding the types of performance goals that are best and worst for students. Study 1 (N = 239) revealed that participants rated performance-approach goals higher than performance-avoidance goals in the best performing student condition, while they rated performance-avoidance goals higher than performance-approach goals in the worst performing student condition. Participants also rated performance-approach and performance-avoidance goals higher in the best relative to worst performing student condition. Study 2 (N = 319) sought to conceptually replicate Study 1 and also included enjoyment. The results for performance replicated; the results for enjoyment were the same as those for performance, except participants rated performance-avoidance goals marginally lower for enjoyment in the positive relative to negative student condition. This research provides a richer conceptual understanding of achievement motivation and has applied implications for teaching students how to enhance their academic performance and enjoyment.