Group Versus Goal-Setting Effects on the Self-Regulated Performance of Students Differing in Self-Efficacy

The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of working in groups, goal-setting, and a control condition on the self-regulated performance of subjects at high, middle, and low levels of self-efficacy. A self-regulated performance task called Voluntary Homework System or VHS offered subjects the opportunity to write different types of test items for extra credit bonuses in an educational psychology course as a function of the magnitude of their performance relative to their classmates. Although no performance differences were found among the three conditions overall, there was a strong interaction between performance condition and individual level of self-efficacy. The group or cooperative condition showed the greatest enhancement of the performance of middle self-efficacy level subjects relative to the other conditions, whereas the goal-setting condition had its greatest effect on the performance of low self-efficacy subjects relative to the other conditions. For high self-efficacy subjects, the control condition was most salutory. Clearly, the self-beliefs of the individual, particularly in regard to his/her perceived self-competence to perform, must be taken into account when choosing a condition or circumstance intended to function as a motivator of self-regulated performance.