Abstract
In examining the motivational factors affecting student success, it is important to understand the ways in which students’ beliefs influence their ability to achieve goals. The goal of this work was to establish a valid contribution in motivational research by examining relevant factors of personal goal setting. In order to do so, this study identified specific aspects of student beliefs about personal and cognitive goal achievement and how these elements may be predictive of each other. Data were collected from two Northern California high schools utilizing the AASCM survey (Gordon Rouse, 2003) to measure students’ motivational beliefs. The sample consisted of 134 participants, representing at least six different ethnicities. Two regression analyses were conducted, each examining the subscales of personal goals (ability, environmental responsiveness, value, control, and emotion) with (1) cognitive ability and (2) cognitive control. The results indicated a relationship between motivational factors and goals, but not always as hypothesized. Personal ability was significantly related to students’ beliefs about cognitive ability and personal beliefs about environmental responsiveness was significantly related to students’ beliefs about cognitive control. This work was discussed in terms of the Motivational Systems Theory (M. Ford, 1992) and the components of human motivation.