Fear Of Failure, Goal Orientation & Propensity To Challenge

Date of Graduation

Summer 2005

Degree

Master of Science in Psychology

Department

Psychology

Committee Chair

Thomas Kane

Abstract

This study investigated the impact that fear of failing and goal orientation has on students’ propensity to challenge after 3 course exams. Data were collected four times over the course of a semester. For session 1, 522 undergraduates reported demographic information, fear of failure, goal commitment, and goal orientation. Students also stated an overall course goal and their goal for the first exam. After receiving feedback on each exam, students reported if they attained their exam goal, their goal for the next exam, and any revision in their overall course grade goal. Results indicated that fear of failure did not significantly predict students propensity to challenge themselves. Learning orientation significantly predicted propensity to challenge, but only for the first two exams. Learning orientation, performance approach orientation and fear of failure predicted significant amounts of variance in goal commitment.

Keywords

fear of failure, goal orientation, goal revision, propensity to challenge, self-regulation

Subject Categories

Psychology

Copyright

© Lizabeth S. Barber

Citation-only

Dissertation/Thesis

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