Abstract：This study uses achievement goal theory to examine how two types of performance goals af‐ fect EFL learners’ academic achievement via academic help seeking. Specifically, the study fo‐ cuses on the conflicting effects of performance goal orientations on EFL learning. Based on the survey data from 650 non-English majors, the study shows that learners with performance ap‐ proach goal solicit instrumental help seeking but resist executive help seeking, while learners with performance avoidance goal act in an opposite way; both instrumental help seeking and executive help seeking partially mediate the relationship between performance approach goal and academic achievement, and fully mediate the relationship between performance avoidance goal and academic achievement. The findings provide important implications for EFL teachers to improve non-English majors’ EFL learning by following the patterns of motivational behavior.
Key words：performance goal orientation；academic help seeking；EFL academic achievement
