The construction of social classroom goal structure and its relationship with social goals and help-seeking behavior

Social goals, which few studies have focused on, play a significant role in the learning process. Research on learning situations from social goal theory perspectives (social classroom goal structure) has been even less. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to construct a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) model of social classroom goal structure to test how it fit with observed data and to analyze the relationships among social classroom goal structure, social goals and help-seeking behavior. The participants were 1,032 junior high school students. Structural equation modeling and regression analysis were used. The following results were obtained: (a) the CFA model of social classroom goal structure fit the observed data well, (b) social classroom goal structure fit in with social goals, (c) social relationship and social responsibility goals positively predicted instrumental help seeking; social relationship goals negatively predicted avoidance help seeking; social responsibility goals negatively predicted executive help seeking; social status goals positively predicted executive help seeking and avoidance help seeking, (d) social relationship and social responsibility classroom goal structure positively predicted instrumental help seeking; social relationship classroom goal structure positively predicted executive help seeking; social responsibility classroom goal structure negatively predicted avoidance help seeking; social status classroom goal structure positively predicted executive help seeking and avoidance help seeking, and (e) the effects of social classroom goal structure on help seeking behavior were mediated by social goals. Based on the findings in this research, implications for theory, practice and further research are discussed.