The Structural Model of Relationship between Informational Style, Achievement Goals and Cognitive Engagement

Abstract

As a critical period in people lives, teens’ period relies on two special aspects. In one hand it relates to the changes of believes about the ego. On the other hand, it relates to social and upbringing expectations. There is one unifying concept which unifies the changes and it’s the identity. Based on Brzezinski’s socio-cognitive perspective, identity is considered a theory of self. The self-theory is a conception structure of principles, values and criteria related to self which helps the person to adapt and cope with life problems especially the educational life. The self-theory may lead the teenager toward adaptive values, goals and motivations to make the teenager use one’s cognitive abilities for more success and cooperation. In this way, the purpose of this article is to offer a structural model for cognitive engagement based on informational style, mastery goal and performance-approach goals. The present study is a kind of non-experimental design. To speak more precisely, it is a type of correlations design which has analyzed a structural pattern of variables relationship. The sample size (the number of people taking part in study) is 630. The sample candidates are medical students of Sabzevar and Neyshaboor universities, who have been selected by a multi-stages/steps sampling process. Brzezinski identity style scales (IsI-3), Midgly et al achievement goal (PALS) and also motivational strategies for learning (MSLQ) were used to evaluate the research variables. The data were analyzed by structural pattern of the equations. The results indicated that informational style has got two effects on the cognitive engagement which are 1- A direct positive effect (0/23). 2-An indirect positive effect and more powerful (0/53) that indirect effect between two variable is through mastery goals (which is a mediator variable). Mastery goals make adolescent who have informational identity style and more purposeful in information searching. Mediator variable of mastery goals builds up stronger relationship between informational identity style and cognitive engagement.