Which type of goal reflects a student’s intrinsic desire to improve their skills?

Mastery goals are centered around an individual's intrinsic desire to enhance their skills and understanding of a subject. When students set mastery goals, they focus on personal improvement and the attainment of knowledge, rather than merely performing better than others or achieving a certain grade. This type of goal emphasizes the importance of learning for the sake of learning itself, fostering a deep engagement with the material and encouraging resilience in the face of challenges.

This intrinsic motivation is critical in educational settings, as it leads to a more profound commitment to learning and a greater likelihood of seeking out challenges and persevering through difficulties. When students are driven by mastery goals, they typically exhibit a strong willingness to learn from mistakes and persist in improving their abilities over time. In contrast, goals related to performance avoidance or performance approach focus more on comparison with peers rather than personal growth, while extrinsic motivators are based on external rewards rather than the fulfillment derived from self-improvement and mastery of skills.