Travers Cheryl J, Morisano Dominique, Locke Edwin A
School of Business and Economics, Loughborough University, UK.
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada.
Br J Educ Psychol. 2015 Jun;85(2):224-41. doi: 10.1111/bjep.12059. Epub 2014 Dec 26.
Goal-setting theory continues to be among the most popular and influential theories of motivation and performance, although there have been limited academic applications relative to applications in other domains, such as organizational psychology.
This paper summarizes existing quantitative research and then employs a qualitative approach to exploring academic growth via an in-depth reflective growth goal-setting methodology.
The study focuses on 92 UK final-year students enrolled in an elective advanced interpersonal skills and personal development module, with self-reflection and growth goal setting at its core.
Qualitative data in the form of regular reflective written diary entries and qualitative questionnaires were collected from students during, on completion of, and 6 months following the personal growth goal-setting programme.
About 20% of students' self-set growth goals directly related to academic growth and performance; students reported that these had a strong impact on their achievement both during and following the reflective programme. Growth goals that were indirectly related to achievement (e.g., stress management) appeared to positively impact academic growth and other outcomes (e.g., well-being). A follow-up survey revealed that growth goal setting continued to impact academic growth factors (e.g., self-efficacy, academic performance) beyond the reflective programme itself.
Academic growth can result from both academically direct and indirect growth goals, and growth goal setting appears to be aided by the process of simultaneous growth reflection. The implications for promoting academic growth via this unique learning and development approach are discussed.
目标设定理论仍然是最流行且最具影响力的动机与绩效理论之一，尽管相对于组织心理学等其他领域的应用而言，其在学术领域的应用有限。
本文总结了现有的定量研究，然后采用定性方法，通过深入的反思性成长目标设定方法来探索学术成长。
该研究聚焦于92名英国最后一年的学生，他们参加了一个选修的高级人际技能与个人发展模块，其核心是自我反思和成长目标设定。
在个人成长目标设定计划期间、结束时以及结束后6个月，从学生那里收集以定期反思性书面日记条目和定性问卷形式呈现的定性数据。
约20%的学生自行设定的成长目标与学术成长和成绩直接相关；学生报告称，这些目标在反思计划期间及之后对他们的成绩都有很大影响。与成绩间接相关的成长目标（如压力管理）似乎对学术成长和其他结果（如幸福感）产生了积极影响。一项后续调查显示，成长目标设定在反思计划本身之外，仍继续影响学术成长因素（如自我效能感、学业成绩）。
学术成长可源于学术上直接和间接的成长目标，且成长目标设定似乎因同步的成长反思过程而得到助力。本文讨论了通过这种独特的学习与发展方法促进学术成长的意义。
