Psychological parameters of students' social and work avoidance goals: A qualitative investigation

The study identifies and describes the psychological parameters of middle s chool students' social and work avoidance goals. Data were collected from 8 6 students during 114 interviews and 24 structured observation periods. Ind uctive content analyses of the interview and observation data identified 8 distinct motivational goals (purposes) that the sample of middle school stu dents espoused for their academic achievement, However, this analysis focus es on social and work avoidance goals that have not been widely explored in the literature to date. The analysis also identifies the structure of thes e goals in terms of their component academic behaviors, affect, and cogniti ons. The study is significant because it extends and deepens descriptions o f the distinct social and work avoidance goals that students' may espouse a nd identifies key psychological components of these goals.