mastery

Examples of mastery in the following topics:

• The Cognitive and Achievement Approaches to Motivation

  • Mastery goals tend to be associated with the satisfaction of mastering something—in other words, gaining control, proficiency, comprehensive knowledge, or sufficient skill in a given area (such as mastering the art of cooking). 
  • Mastery goals are a form of intrinsic motivation (arising from internal forces) and have been found to be more effective than performance goals at sustaining students' interest in a subject.
  • In one review of research about learning goals, for example, students with primarily mastery orientations toward a course they were taking not only tended to express greater interest in the course, but also continued to express interest well beyond the official end of the course and to enroll in further courses in the same subject (Harackiewicz, et al., 2002; Wolters, 2004).
  • Students with performance goals often tend to get higher grades than those who primarily express mastery goals, and this advantage is often seen both in the short term (with individual assignments) and in the long term (with overall grade point average when graduating).
  • However, there is evidence that performance-oriented students do not actually learn material as deeply or permanently as students who are more mastery-oriented (Midgley, Kaplan, & Middleton, 2001).

• Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

  • People will often look for ways to achieve a sense of mastery, and they may seek validation and praise from others in order to fulfill these needs.

• Physical Development in Childhood

  • Children increase their mastery of these skills through practice.

• Defining Motivation

  • Intrinsic motivation comes from within the individual and results in a sense of autonomy, mastery, and purpose.

• Erikson's Stages of Psychosocial Development

  • This mastery helps children grow into successful, contributing members of society.