THE EFFECTS OF CHILDRENS SOCIAL-RESPONSIB ILITY GOAL ON ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS

The purpose of this study was to examine the motivational processes of how social responsibility goal influences academic achievements. In t he first study, social responsibility goal scale and academic goal sca les were developed. Those scales were administered to 591 4th through 6th graders and the reliability was certified. The second study aimed at examining the effects of these goals on motivational processes and academic achievements. In addition to the above two kinds of goal scal es, children's classroom behavior inventory and questionnaires on thei r interests and motivation to school subjects were administered to 238 4th through 6th graders. Also, teachers were asked to rate the streng th of children's interests and motivation to school subjects, children 's academic outcomes, and the degree of teachers' acceptance of the ch ildren. A path analysis revealed that both social responsibility and a cademic mastery goals influenced academic achievements. However, it al so revealed that only social responsibility goal was mediated by teach ers' acceptance of the children. The unique motivational processes in the classrooms related to children's social responsibility goal were d iscussed.