Do Mastery Approach Goals and Research Outcome Expectations Mediate the Relationship Between the Research Training Environment and Research Interest? Test of a Social Cognitive Model

The conduct of research is inherently an achievement-oriented process, yet little research has examined the role of achievement motives relative to important research-relevant outcomes. The present study examined the role of mastery approach goals as potential mediators of the relations between the research training environment (RTE) on one hand, and research outcome expectations and research interest on the other. Participants consisted of 217 doctoral students in counseling psychology. Structural equation modeling with maximum likelihood estimation was used to test the mediational hypotheses. Results of χ 2 difference testing indicated that both mastery approach goals and research outcome expectations mediated the relationship between the RTE and research interest. Sobel tests of indirect effect further indicated that (a) mastery approach goals mediated the relationship between the RTE and research outcome expectations, and (b) research outcome expectations mediated the relationship between mastery approach goals and research interest. Practical and theoretical implications for research training are discussed.