This document discusses goal orientation and the different types of goal orientations people can have according to Dweck's theory. There are two main orientations - a performance orientation, where people aim to gain approval and avoid negative evaluation, and a learning orientation, where people aim to develop skills and seek feedback to improve. Research has found that a learning orientation leads to better task performance and more time spent on challenging tasks compared to a performance orientation. Multiple studies have confirmed these differences in orientation and how people tend to shift towards performance orientation as they age.

1. Goal Orientation

2. Goals
• A goal is something we work towards
• We all have goals

3. Goal Orientation
• A psychological construct that looks to
understand the attitudes and behaviours
that people embrace to reach their goals.
• It’s a mental framework that describes what
motivates people to perform certain tasks,
and what they aim to achieve in those tasks.

4. Dweck’s Orientations
• Performance Oriented
• Approach tasks with the aim of gaining
approval from peers and teachers
• Learning Oriented
• Approach tasks with the aim of mastering
or acquiring new skills

5. Performance
Orientation
• Desire a high level of performance
• Seek positive reinforcement and feedback
• Tend not to put much effort in unless being
evaluated.
• Tend to avoid tasks where they may be
poorly evaluated.

6. Learning Orientation
• Attention is focused towards self
improvement.
• Seek feedback on tasks to evaluate current
performance.
• Focus on skill and knowledge acquisition.
• Less concerned with being seen to err.

7. Achievement
• Utman, C. H. (1997) did a meta-analysis of
previous studies.
• Found the learning goals lead to better task
performance.
• Learning orientation leads to more time
being spent on challenging tasks.

8. confirmation
• multiple studies confirm this factor
• Elliot & Dweck (1988)
• Archer (1999)

9. People shift
• as they age, people tend to shift towards
performance orientation

10. Self-Awareness
• Think about what motivates you
• ask yourself:
“am I doing this to learn, or to
demonstrate something”
• don’t just do the minimum
• do all of the optional extras
• work at home!