Personality and achievement motivation: Relationship among Big Five domain and facet scales, achievement goals, and intelligence

In the present study we examined the nomological network of achievement motivation and personality by inspecting the relationships between four goal orientations (learning, performance-approach, performance-avoidance, work avoidance), the Big Five personality traits, and intelligence. Within a sample of university students (N = 160), relations were examined on the facet level of the Big Five. Inspection of associations between personality facets and goal orientations provided a clearer picture about why goals and personality traits are related and some of the previous inconsistent results could be explained by opposing associations at this level of analysis. Intelligence and goal orientations shared no common variance. Findings are discussed with reference to a hypothesized approach and avoidance temperament and the nomological network integrating personality, motivation, and ability dimensions. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.