Date of Award

2017

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Social Sciences

First Advisor

Barton, Michelle

Area of Concentration

Psychology

Abstract

This thesis explores the relationship between achievement goal orientation and grit, and how this relationship might be influenced by the factor of person-environment fit. Prior research observes the relationship between achievement goal orientation and grit, suggesting that mastery-oriented students have higher levels of grit. In other words, students who are motivated to learn for the sake of learning put forth more effort toward their education, even when faced with failures. However, in past studies, other variables weren’t accounted for in the correlation between goal orientation and grit. The degree to which the student fits their university and academic environment, has the potential to influence the assumed positive correlation. It is possible that a student may adapt their motivational efforts, to relieve dissatisfaction, when in an environment they perceive to not match their own orientation. It was hypothesized that mismatched students would have a higher level of grit than their matched peers. Participants completed a survey, which assessed their achievement goal orientation, grit, academic satisfaction and fit, and the perception of their university. The results supported findings from previous research but the current hypotheses were not supported. The sample may have limited the testing of the hypotheses and therefore future testing still merits attention.

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