GOAL ORIENTATION AND THE MODELING PROCESS - AN INDIVIDUALS FOCUS ON FORM AND OUTCOME

One's achievement goal orientation (e.g., task, ego) is suggested to r eflect a differential focus on skill mastery and performance outcome ( Duda, 1992). Goal orientation has further been suggested to be an impo rtant observer characteristic in the observational learning of motor s kills (McCullagh, Weiss, & Ross, 1989). This study assessed the relati onship between goal orientation and a focus on form and outcome aspect s of a motor skill demonstration with college students (N = 30) having low perceived ability, knowledge, and experience in tennis. Participa nts viewed several videotaped demonstrations of a correctly performed tennis forehand and then visual recognition and verbal recall accuracy of form and outcome task characteristics were assessed. A canonical c orrelation analysis revealed a nonsignificant relationship between goa l orientation and recall and recognition of form and outcome task char acteristics. These results provide preliminary evidence to suggest tha t goal orientation may not be an important observer characteristic in the learning phase of the modeling process. Also, achievement goal ori entations may not be associated with a differential focus on skill mas tery or performance outcome but instead remain a reflection of diverge nt processes of success evaluation.