Antecedents of task-specific goal orientation: An investigation of task practice, personality and global goal orientation

Goal orientation, a mental framework for understanding how individuals approach learning and achievement situations, has emerged as an important topic in organisational psychology. This study investigated the effects of task practice, personality (openness to experience and neuroticism), and global goal orientation (predisposition to adopt a certain response pattern across all domains) on participants’ task-specific goal orientation (response pattern adopted for a specific task). One hundred and three participants performed an air traffic control task and their task-specific goal orientation was measured prior to each of a total of thirty trials. Results revealed an effect of task practice such that individuals’ task-specific learning orientation decreased over time while their task-specific prove orientation increased over time. The results also showed that individuals’ personality can influence their task-specific goal orientation and further, that this relationship can be mediated by global goal orientation. Specifically, the positive relationship between openness to experience and task-specific prove orientation was mediated by global prove orientation. Similarly, the positive relationship between neuroticism and task-specific avoid orientation was mediated by global avoid orientation. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are considered.

Heritage language loss and the implications for ethnic identity maintenance over time

Language has been seen as a central pillar to ethnic identity. When the possibility of heritage language loss becomes imminent, therefore, concern turns towards the consequences for feelings of ethnic group membership. Heritage language researchers have indicated that the heritage language is so strongly associated with the individual’s cultural background that heritage language loss could have negative implications for the sense of identity to the ethnic group. This study investigates the relationship between language and ethnic identity over time among Gaelic learners in Nova Scotia. In order to identify the specific processes of heritage language use, the Gaelic learners are compared to French (second language), learners living in the same English-speaking milieu. Path analyses reveal that, only among Gaelic learners, there is an initial separation of language and ethnic identity, but that, over time, ethnic identity is a direct outcome of language use. The results support Edwards’ (1985), contention, at least in the case of heritage languages, that language and identity are not always strongly linked. It is suggested that this may be especially true in contexts where there is little opportunity for contact with members of the heritage language group.