Associations Between Achievement Goal Orientations, Preferred Learning Practices, and Motivational Evaluations of Learning Environment Among Finnish Military Reservists

In this study, it was examined whether individuals' self-efficacy, preferred forms in learning, and evaluations of the learning environment vary as a function of their goal orientation profiles. It was also explored whether the preferred forms in learning played a role in this association. The...

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Main Authors: Antti-Tuomas Pulkka, Laura Budlong
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2022-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Psychology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.902478/full
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author Antti-Tuomas Pulkka
Laura Budlong
author_facet Antti-Tuomas Pulkka
Laura Budlong
author_sort Antti-Tuomas Pulkka
collection DOAJ
description In this study, it was examined whether individuals' self-efficacy, preferred forms in learning, and evaluations of the learning environment vary as a function of their goal orientation profiles. It was also explored whether the preferred forms in learning played a role in this association. The participants were 177 reservists of Finnish Defense Forces participating in rehearsal training exercises. Four homogeneous groups based on goal orientation profiles were found: mastery oriented (n = 47, 26.5%), success-performance oriented (n = 49, 27.7%), indifferent (n = 43, 24.3%), and avoidance oriented (n = 38, 21.5%). The mastery-oriented group and the success-performance-oriented group reported higher levels in self-efficacy, legislative form in learning, and mastery goal structure when compared to the avoidance-oriented group or to the indifferent group. The avoidance-oriented group reported elevated levels of perceived strain and performance goal structure in comparison to the mastery-oriented group. Controlling the learners' preferences for different forms in learning revealed some slight differences in the observed pattern of between-group differences regarding perceptions of performance goal structure and self-efficacy. Controlling for the legislative form of learning diminished the difference between the mastery-oriented and the avoidance-oriented groups in perceptions of performance goal structure, and controlling for the executive form of learning revealed differences between success-performance oriented and the indifferent and the avoidance oriented. The role of the learning environment in highlighting certain types of activities in learners' choices and the relevance of this regarding their goal preferences are discussed.
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spelling doaj.art-ce29a06e4c0e4edc9bfa6e46db254ac12022-12-22T02:32:46ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782022-06-011310.3389/fpsyg.2022.902478902478Associations Between Achievement Goal Orientations, Preferred Learning Practices, and Motivational Evaluations of Learning Environment Among Finnish Military ReservistsAntti-Tuomas PulkkaLaura BudlongIn this study, it was examined whether individuals' self-efficacy, preferred forms in learning, and evaluations of the learning environment vary as a function of their goal orientation profiles. It was also explored whether the preferred forms in learning played a role in this association. The participants were 177 reservists of Finnish Defense Forces participating in rehearsal training exercises. Four homogeneous groups based on goal orientation profiles were found: mastery oriented (n = 47, 26.5%), success-performance oriented (n = 49, 27.7%), indifferent (n = 43, 24.3%), and avoidance oriented (n = 38, 21.5%). The mastery-oriented group and the success-performance-oriented group reported higher levels in self-efficacy, legislative form in learning, and mastery goal structure when compared to the avoidance-oriented group or to the indifferent group. The avoidance-oriented group reported elevated levels of perceived strain and performance goal structure in comparison to the mastery-oriented group. Controlling the learners' preferences for different forms in learning revealed some slight differences in the observed pattern of between-group differences regarding perceptions of performance goal structure and self-efficacy. Controlling for the legislative form of learning diminished the difference between the mastery-oriented and the avoidance-oriented groups in perceptions of performance goal structure, and controlling for the executive form of learning revealed differences between success-performance oriented and the indifferent and the avoidance oriented. The role of the learning environment in highlighting certain types of activities in learners' choices and the relevance of this regarding their goal preferences are discussed.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.902478/fullgoal orientationmotivationlearning environmentself-efficacythinking styles
spellingShingle Antti-Tuomas Pulkka
Laura Budlong
Associations Between Achievement Goal Orientations, Preferred Learning Practices, and Motivational Evaluations of Learning Environment Among Finnish Military Reservists
Frontiers in Psychology
goal orientation
motivation
learning environment
self-efficacy
thinking styles
title Associations Between Achievement Goal Orientations, Preferred Learning Practices, and Motivational Evaluations of Learning Environment Among Finnish Military Reservists
title_full Associations Between Achievement Goal Orientations, Preferred Learning Practices, and Motivational Evaluations of Learning Environment Among Finnish Military Reservists
title_fullStr Associations Between Achievement Goal Orientations, Preferred Learning Practices, and Motivational Evaluations of Learning Environment Among Finnish Military Reservists
title_full_unstemmed Associations Between Achievement Goal Orientations, Preferred Learning Practices, and Motivational Evaluations of Learning Environment Among Finnish Military Reservists
title_short Associations Between Achievement Goal Orientations, Preferred Learning Practices, and Motivational Evaluations of Learning Environment Among Finnish Military Reservists
title_sort associations between achievement goal orientations preferred learning practices and motivational evaluations of learning environment among finnish military reservists
topic goal orientation
motivation
learning environment
self-efficacy
thinking styles
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.902478/full
work_keys_str_mv AT anttituomaspulkka associationsbetweenachievementgoalorientationspreferredlearningpracticesandmotivationalevaluationsoflearningenvironmentamongfinnishmilitaryreservists
AT laurabudlong associationsbetweenachievementgoalorientationspreferredlearningpracticesandmotivationalevaluationsoflearningenvironmentamongfinnishmilitaryreservists