Student's motivation for wanting to achieve in school can influence whether they have secure or unstable self-esteem.
Academic self-contingencies have been linked to exam grades, course, grades, and test scores (Grant and Dweck, 2003, 541). Learning goals refer to the reasons why students are striving to learn a particular topic, which can include learning for development, learning for mastery, or learning to validate one’s ability. When students who have mastery or development learning goals experience failure, they tend to see these obstacles as opportunities for growth. Conversely, when students with validation goals experience failure, they tend to experience a loss of self-worth.
Due to instability in self-esteem, one set back for a student with ability oriented learning goals can lead to subsequent setbacks as they may experience a loss of belief (Grant and Dweck, 2003, 550-551). Ability oriented learning goals may lead to decreases in self-esteem because failure in an academic arena is considered to be a failure in a dominant contingency (Niiya et al., 2004, 802). Another problem associated with ability oriented learning goals is that students with this contingency are more likely to be willing to cheat in order to avoid failure (Crocker and Park, 2003, 400). Cognitive tasks may also be undermined as students with ability oriented learning goals may spend more time dealing with emotional coping, instead of working on the tasks. Additionally, if these students become too disheartened they may disengage for the academic contingency altogether (Crocker and Wolfe, 2001, 598). By adopting a learning orientation that emphasizes mastery, people with academic self-worth contingencies can reduce the effect of failure on their self-esteem (Niiya et al, 2004, 802).
Due to instability in self-esteem, one set back for a student with ability oriented learning goals can lead to subsequent setbacks as they may experience a loss of belief (Grant and Dweck, 2003, 550-551). Ability oriented learning goals may lead to decreases in self-esteem because failure in an academic arena is considered to be a failure in a dominant contingency (Niiya et al., 2004, 802). Another problem associated with ability oriented learning goals is that students with this contingency are more likely to be willing to cheat in order to avoid failure (Crocker and Park, 2003, 400). Cognitive tasks may also be undermined as students with ability oriented learning goals may spend more time dealing with emotional coping, instead of working on the tasks. Additionally, if these students become too disheartened they may disengage for the academic contingency altogether (Crocker and Wolfe, 2001, 598). By adopting a learning orientation that emphasizes mastery, people with academic self-worth contingencies can reduce the effect of failure on their self-esteem (Niiya et al, 2004, 802).