Influence on Learning & Achievement: 

Performance avoidance is best understood through the lens of a student. Imagine being in a class where everyone is challenged to receive a specific exam score. After each, exam-their grade is displayed to motivate students. However, students who do not perform according to the average or others may feel embarrassed or discouraged. They have become another comparison in their classroom. Performance Avoidance is the response to rejection or struggle with content and classwork, leading students to put little to no effort into the material, having already expected to fail. Performance Avoidance can also mean the student is motivated only to not perform poorly and less for actually understanding and retaining information. 

• Publicly displaying achievement compared to others, capabilities, and advertisement of everyone's stance can be why many show signs of "Performance Avoidance" in the classroom. 

• Goal-oriented, not to do poorly. 

• Pushing oneself to ensure they do well and not look "lesser" in comparison to their peers. 

• Avoid feeling compared to. 

What are the causes & effects of Performance Avoidance: 

The effects of performance avoidance are significant and potentially detrimental to the student. These students are working extrinsically to avoid failure in front of other peers. Students who partake in performance-avoidance will typically not ask for help because it will showcase that they need help understanding what is going on (Covington, 1992). This ultimately leads to poor academic performance. The student is so concerned about failing or looking bad in front of others that they restrict themselves by not asking questions. Performance avoidance opens up more opportunities for excuses (Covington, 1992). This results in a never-ending cycle of simply not trying so that you have an excuse for failure. 

Some causes of Performance avoid include:

• Failure of the past prohibiting the students from wanting to try.

• The fear of looking "dumb" to their classmates and teachers. 

• Low motivation and possible lack of ability not necessarily due to their own efforts.

Some effects of Performance Avoid include:

• Not willing to ask for help 

• Self-handicapping and withdrawing effort

• Unwilling to make mistakes or showcase their knowledge

• Afraid to look bad in front of peers

• Avoid trying to have a ready excuse for failure

What can teachers do? 

Students tend to want to avoid performing in order avoid embarrassment. These activities can help with that. 

• Goal oriented activity. Goals created by the students individually can help them to set standards for themselves that they know they can reach.   

• Individual activities, activities done by each student individually help prevent from comparing. 

• Create an encouraging and positive environment so students feel comfortable with failure-- if students are not comfortable with the concept of failure, they will be less likely to try.