A New Look at Multiple Goal Pursuit: the Promise of a Person-Centered Approach

The current study reviewed and synthesized studies employing a person-centered approach to studying achievement goals. Towards this end, a common labeling scheme was developed for goal profiles. Ten profile types were identified across studies and compared via meta-analytic techniques in terms of academic motivation, social/emotional well-being, engagement, and achievement. Two theoretically relevant profiles—Mastery High and Approach High—were relatively common and adaptive across all outcomes; the Performance/Work Avoidance Low profile was also generally adaptive. The Average All Goals and Low All Goals profiles, conversely, were consistently maladaptive. The pursuit of performance-approach, performance-avoidance, or work-avoidance goals alone was rare and generally maladaptive except with respect to achievement. Supplementary moderator analyses revealed that school level and goal model—but not analytic technique—were important variables to consider regarding both the prevalence and adaptive nature of goal profiles. This research synthesis provides insight into longstanding debates within the achievement goal literature and highlights the potential of person-centered analyses to complement findings from more predominant variable-centered research.