Achievement goals and the hierarchical model of achievement motivation

The achievement goal approach has attained prominence in the achievement mo tivation literature and has produced a valuable empirical yield. However th e precise nature of the achievement goal construct is in need of scrutiny, as is the issue of how achievement goals and their antecedents combine to p roduce competence-based self-regulation. In this article, we address these important conceptual issues in the context of the hierarchical model of ach ievement motivation. The approach-avoidance distinction, which has been an integral part of the achievement motivation literature since its inception, is highlighted throughout.