Effects of Achievement Goals on Perceptions of Success and Achievement Emotions in Minority Children

Obesity is a global epidemic even more so for some minority groups. Physical activity is one arm in the fight against obesity. Research has demonstrated that engagement in physical activity is predicted by positive emotions and perceptions; thus, the activity chosen to help burn calories must be enjoyable for sustained engagement. The present experiment examined the effects of manipulated achievement goal climates (mastery, performance approach and performance avoidance) on perception of success and discrete achievement emotions in Hispanic and African-American 4th and 5th grade students. After performing a dribbling task, perception of success, pride, shame, and frustration were assessed. After accounting for the children’s performance expectancies, the mastery participants reported greater perceptions of success (p<.05) as well as less frustration (p<.05) compared to the performance groups. Taken together, the present experiment suggested that the manipulation of the trichotomous goals significantly affects perceptions of success and the discrete achievement of frustration. Some support was found for pride. Future experimental research in a variety of population samples is warranted to clarify and extend achievement goal and discrete achievement emotion relationships with physical activity participation.