Achievement goals, percieved competence, gender and learning strategies in a general academic context

The aim of this study was to examine relations between achievement goals, percieved competence, gender and the use of learning strategies among college students in a general academic context. We wanted to see if achievement goals according to the 2 x 2 achievement goal framework and their relations with assumed antecedents and consequences would be obtained on a global level of academic achievement and motivation. Participants were students of the Faculty of Kinesiology in Zagreb (N = 199). Percieved competence was a positive predictor of mastery-approach goal, all learning strategies and a negative predictor of mastery-avoidance goal. Gender did not contribute significantly to achievement goals' prediction. Gender was a significant predictor of strategies of comprehension, seeking support and self-regulation. Mastery-approach goal was a significant positive predictor of all learning strategies and showed a mediational effect on the relation between gender and percieved competence, strategy of seeking support and self-regulation. Performance-approach goal was a positive and performance-avoidance goal a negative predictor of absence of learning difficulties. Performance-approach goal was also a positive predictor of critical thinking and practical use. Practical implications are discussed.