Achievement goals and academic achievement: A closer look at moderating factors

• Meta-analysis investigating associations between achievement goals and achievement.
• Several important moderators were analyzed in detail.
• Due to the respective achievement goal different moderators were identified.
• Important moderators were the specific achievement outcome and measurement issues.

Two recently published meta-analyses (Huang, 2012 and Hulleman et al., 2010) have focused on the association between achievement goals and achievement outcomes. These meta-analyses differed to some extent, e.g., regarding the identified moderators. The present meta-analysis serves to clarify those heterogeneous findings by considering more studies through 2011 and by considering more moderators. Our literature search identified 180 publications (N = 81 947). Analyses (using random effects models) revealed small but significant associations between achievement goals and achievement outcomes (r = −.12 to r = .13; all ps < .01; global performance goals: r = .01, p > .05). The results of the present moderator analyses differed from those of the previous meta-analyses. For example, in contrast to Huang (2012), we were able to find several moderators of the association between performance-approach goals and academic achievement. The results have several important implications, especially regarding the assessment of achievement goals.