Théories implicites de l'intelligence et buts d'accomplissement scolaire

Abstract

Over the past 25 years, the achievement goals have become an important concept to address achievement motivation in school settings. Achievement goals are defined as the purpose or cognitive-dynamic focus of competence-relevant activity and the goal adopted is posited to influence how individuals interpret and experience achievement settings. According to the trichotomous model, three independent achievement goals are supposed to account for competence-based strivings (a) Mastery goals that focus on the development of competence and task mastery, (b) Performance-approach goals that focus on the attainment of favourable judgements of normative competence, and (c) Performance-avoidance goals that focus on avoiding unfavourable judgements of normative competence. In the past few years, most research conducted using the trichotomous achievement-goal framework has focused on the consequences of pursuing different achievement goals. To date, empirical work conducted in academic settings on modeling possible antecedents of the three types of goals has focused on achievement motives, perceptions of competence. The purpose of the current study was to extend the research in academic settings based on the trichotomous framework by focusing on the antecedents of the three goals such as implicit theories about intelligence. An entity theory of intelligence is the belief that intelligence is a fixed trait, a personal quality that cannot be changed. In contrast, an incremental theory of intelligence is the belief that intelligence is a malleable quality that can increase through efforts. In the present research, we assessed among 695 boys attending five French schools perception of Competence, implicit theories about intelligence in addition to the three achievement goals to identify the profiles underlying each goal type in academic situations. Regression analyses modeling possible predictors of each goal showed that (1) Performance-approach goals were positively associated with perception of Competence, Entity beliefs about intelligence, and negatively associated with Incremental beliefs about intelligence ; and (2) Mastery goals were positively associated with perception of Competence, Incremental beliefs about intelligence. Also, (3) Performance-avoidance goals were positively associated with Entity beliefs about intelligence and negatively associated with Incremental beliefs about intelligence and perception of Competence. In line with the trichotomous framework, perceptions of Competence are presumed to orient the individual toward the possibility of success or the possibility of failure. Adolescents with high perceptions of Competence are oriented toward success and consider academic situation as an attractive activity. Consequently they tend to endorse approach goals like Mastery or Performance approach goals. On the other hand, those with low perceptions of Competence are oriented toward failure and try to avoid this activity. Consequently they tend to endorse Performance-avoidance goals. These results clearly attested to the validity of the trichotomous model in the academic situation.