Achievement goal orientation and academic social comparison emotions in competitive learning environments: Latent profile analysis approach

High school students often encounter competitive learning environments of which they can influence their achievement goal orientation and academic social comparison emotions. This study investigates potential patterns of achievement goal orientation and academic social comparison emotions among high school students in competitive learning environments. A total of 397 South Korean high school students participated in this study. Adopting the person-centered approach, latent profile analysis was employed, and the selected class model was validated by comparing grades and self-esteem across identified classes using the BCH method. This study identified six distinct classes of which three profiles (first, third, fourth classes) had similar configurations but different profile levels, which fit the features of multiple goals. The second and sixth classes presented elevated performance goals and contrast emotions. Lastly, the fifth class exhibited a separate configuration, which had elevated mastery-approach goals and assimilation emotions. Analysis of outcome measures revealed that classes with elevated performance goals showed low self-esteem despite relatively high academic grades. It revealed that in competitive learning environments, performance goals were found to co-occur with contrast emotions in academic social comparison, while mastery goals co-occurred with assimilation emotions. This implies that those who endorse mastery goals tend to see themselves as similar to the comparison target, while those who endorse performance goals tend to see themselves dissimilar to the comparison target. This finding warrants further exploration to understand the underlying mechanisms. This study recommends supporting mastery-approach goals in competitive learning environments.