Avery Rachel E, Smillie Luke D, de Fockert Jan W
University of Surrey, AD Building, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH, UK.
Acta Psychol (Amst). 2013 Oct;144(2):361-72. doi: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2013.07.012. Epub 2013 Aug 23.
The present research examined the role of working memory in the pursuit of qualitatively different achievement goals. Pursuit of a mastery-approach goal entails a focus on developing self-referential competence while a performance-approach goal entails a focus on demonstrating normative competence. Across two experiments it was found that, when working memory is loaded, individuals pursuing a mastery-approach goal experienced larger performance decrements than individuals pursuing a performance-approach goal or those in a no-goal control. It was also found that reliance upon working memory intensive strategies (explicit strategies) was more evident for those in a mastery-approach condition, whereas reliance upon less working memory intensive strategies (implicit strategies) was more evident for those in the performance-approach condition. Results suggest that a motivated focus on developing self-referential skill relies heavily on working memory, facilitated by the use of deliberative, 'step-by-step' strategies during goal pursuit. Conversely, a focus on demonstrating normative skill depends less on working memory, facilitated by the use of more heuristic 'short-cut' strategies during goal pursuit. These findings show, for the first time, that working memory plays an important, but selective, role in achievement goal pursuit.
本研究考察了工作记忆在追求性质不同的成就目标中的作用。追求掌握型目标需要专注于发展自我参照能力，而追求成绩型目标则需要专注于展示规范能力。通过两个实验发现，当工作记忆负荷增加时，追求掌握型目标的个体比追求成绩型目标的个体或无目标控制组的个体表现出更大的成绩下降。还发现，在掌握型目标条件下，个体更明显地依赖工作记忆密集型策略（明确策略），而在成绩型目标条件下，个体更明显地依赖工作记忆负荷较低的策略（隐含策略）。结果表明，积极专注于发展自我参照技能严重依赖工作记忆，在目标追求过程中使用深思熟虑的“逐步”策略有助于这一过程。相反，专注于展示规范技能对工作记忆的依赖较少，在目标追求过程中使用更多启发式的“捷径”策略有助于这一过程。这些发现首次表明，工作记忆在成就目标追求中发挥着重要但具有选择性的作用。
