The ۳* ۲ Achievement Goals Model and University Students' Agentic Engagement: The Mediating Role of an Epistemic Emotion

Previous studies generally showed that achievement goals are linked with academic engagement. However, the association between the newly-developed model of achievement goals (i.e. the ۳*۲ model) and agentic engagement has received relatively little attention. Furthermore, the underlying mechanism of this relationship is unclear, more specifically, among university students. Guided by the assumptions of the control-value theory of emotions, epistemic curiosity could be a potential mediator. The current study aimed to explore the mediating role of epistemic curiosity in the relationship between achievement goals and agentic engagement among ۳۵۰ university students from Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in the academic year of ۲۰۱۹-۲۰۲۰. Participants completed the measures of the Achievement Goals Questionnaire, Epistemic Curiosity Scale, and Agentic Engagement Scale. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version ۲۴.۰ and AMOS software. The findings showed that epistemic curiosity significantly mediated the association between approach goals and avoidance goals with agentic engagement (P<۰.۰۰۱). Overall, the findings offer new evidence on the association between variables of the present study and shed light on the underlying processes. Theoretical and practical implications are also discussed.

کلیدواژه ها:

Achievement goals ، agentic engagement ، Curiosity ، epistemic emotion