抄録
This study investigated the relationships between students’ goal attributes, intrinsic motivation, and self-efficacy in extensive reading (ER). Two questionnaires (goal and motivational scales) were administered after 130 university students engaged in 12 weeks of ER activities. The goal scale included three important attributes, namely goal specificity, difficulty, and commitment as based on the goal-setting theory (Locke & Latham, 1990, 2002). Furthermore, the motivational scale included intrinsic motivation and self-efficacy. It was hypothesized that goal specificity, dif ficulty, and commitment affect students’ intrinsic motivation and self-efficacy in ER. Structural equation modeling was used to clarify the relationships between the goal attributes and the motivational variables. The results showed that goal commitment directly influenced both intrinsic motivation and self-efficacy and that goal difficulty only directly influenced intrinsic motivation. However, goal specificity indirectly influenced both intrinsic motivation and self-efficacy. Furthermore, from the perspective of individual differences, cluster analysis was conducted to reveal more detailed relationships among the variables. The results indicated that four cluster groups were identified. Each group’s characteristics were then compared and it turned out that one of the cluster groups set too difficult goals and hence lowered their self-efficacy. Finally, educational implications for ER integrating goal setting were discussed.
